The tarte Tatin (French pronunciation: [taʁt tatɛ̃]), named after the Tatin sisters who invented it and served it in their hotel as its signature dish, is a pastry in which the fruit (usually apples) is caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked.
It originated in France but it’s everywhere now.
Great for the holidays or anytime actually.
This is how we make it…
Ingredients:
Ready-made puff pastry
little plain flour, for dusting
5 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra, melted, for brushing
7 apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters
6 fl oz heavy cream
1/2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a circle a little larger than the rim of a 8in ovenproof frying pan.
Place the frying pan over a medium heat, pour in the sugar, vanilla and cook until it turns light brown and starts to smoke a little.
Do not stir, simply move the pan around a little if required – it will take 5 minutes or so.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cubed butter.
Stir until combined, then arrange the apples in the pan, starting from the outer edge and working towards the centre.
Brush the apples with the melted butter and place the pastry on top, tucking it in at the sides.
Prick the pastry several times with a fork.
Bake the tart for 20–25 minutes at 375° until risen and golden brown.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the cream.
Place the cream and sugar in a bowl and whisk until it starts to form soft peaks.
Serve the tarte tatin with the cream.
