Tarte Tatin
An iconic French upside-down caramelized apple tart baked in a skillet and inverted onto a plate to reveal a glossy, amber-coated fruit topping over buttery pastry. Plan ahead: dough needs 30 minutes of resting.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 tbsp cold unsalted butter (for dough), cubed
- 2 tsp granulated sugar (for dough)
- 1/4 tsp salt (for dough)
- 3 tbsp ice water
- 6 firm apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, halved
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (for caramel)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
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1
Make the pastry: combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp granulated sugar (for dough), and 1/4 tsp salt (for dough) in a bowl. Add cubed cold unsalted butter (for dough) and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 3 tbsp ice water one tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough just comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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2
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
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3
Melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter (for caramel) in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup granulated sugar (for caramel) and cook, without stirring, until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber caramel, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and immediately remove from heat.
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4
Arrange peeled, cored, halved firm apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) tightly in the skillet on top of the caramel, curved side down, packing them in snugly as they will shrink.
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5
Return the skillet to medium heat and cook the apples in the caramel for 10 minutes, occasionally pressing them down gently, until they begin to soften and the caramel bubbles around them.
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6
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle slightly larger than the skillet. Drape the dough over the apples, tucking the edges down around them inside the pan.
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7
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the pastry is deep golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
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8
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Place a large plate or serving platter firmly over the skillet, then carefully invert in one swift motion. Allow any extra caramel to drizzle over the tart. Serve warm.