Tarte Tatin is arguably one of the richest and most famous apple tarts , and it's no wonder, as it's a true delight.
This popular dessert consists of a caramelized apple tart that's baked upside down, with the base on top. When serving, it's turned right side up. This baking method allows the apples to meld with the caramel, giving them that unparalleled flavor and texture.
As for the origin of this tart , it is said to have been invented by accident at the Hotel Tatin in France, which, incidentally, is still in operation and continues to serve the dessert. This establishment, at the end of the 19th century, was run by the Tatin sisters, to whom this famous tart is attributed.
One version of the story says that one day one of the Tatin sisters forgot to put the pastry on the tart and placed it on top halfway through baking. At the end, she turned it over to make it look like nothing had happened. Another version says that the pastry broke, and to avoid wasting the apples, they reused them to bake another tart by placing the pastry on top.
Today, it's known that the origin of the Tatin tart was no accident, as the upside-down tart was very typical in the region where the sisters lived and had been made long before. What is certain, however, is the effort and dedication that Stéphanie and Caroline put into creating a sublime tart, bordering on perfection.
To make this tart, you can prepare the shortcrust pastry from scratch following our recipe, or use a good quality ready-made pastry for an even easier version . In this case, we'll opt for a good quality pastry made with butter. The same goes for the caramel sauce; although in this recipe we'll make it from scratch first, you can also use a ready-made one.
As for the apples, you'll see that we've used a generous amount to achieve a taller, very flavorful, and juicy tart, although you can use fewer by slicing the apples into wedges and arranging them so that they cover the entire surface of the tart, which is the important thing.
In this recipe, we'll explain how to make the famous apple Tatin tart step by step so it turns out spectacular. Served on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it becomes an irresistible treat.
Recipe Information
- Preparation time : 15 minutes
- Cooking time : 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Total time : 2 hours
- Servings : 8
- Category : Desserts
- Type of cuisine : French
- Calories per serving (kcal) : 439
Ingredients for apple Tatin tart
- 200 g of sugar
- 60 ml of water
- 100g of butter (and a little more to grease the mold)
- 10 or 12 medium apples
- 1 level teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 sheet of shortcrust pastry
- 1 tablespoon of apricot jam (optional)
Necessary utensils
- Round mold, 26 cm in diameter
How to make apple Tatin tart
To begin, we need 200g of sugar to make caramel. To do this, spread the sugar in a saucepan with 60ml of water and heat over medium heat until it turns a dark brown color. Do not stir the sugar to prevent crystallization. Also, avoid touching the caramel while it cooks, as this can cause severe burns. Another option for a quicker and easier version is to use liquid caramel directly.
Once the caramel is ready, add 50g of chopped butter and mix well until it turns a light brown color and has a smooth texture. This step requires care, as adding the butter can cause splattering due to the temperature difference between the two ingredients. If using liquid caramel, simply heat it with the butter.
Grease a 26 cm diameter cake tin with butter. If desired, you can also line the base with a circle of baking paper to make unmolding easier later. Once greased, pour the caramel into the tin and set aside.
Now let's get to the stars of the recipe: the apples. We'll need about 10 or 12 apples, preferably medium-sized. As for the variety, Golden Delicious apples work quite well. However, you can make the Tatin tart with any variety you like, as long as it's not one that quickly turns into compote when cooked. What we need to do with the apples is peel them, quarter them, and finally remove the cores.
Next, melt another 50g of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the apples along with 1 level teaspoon of cinnamon, mix well, cover, and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Once you can handle the apples without burning yourself, place them in the mold, on top of the caramel, so they form a single layer. Since they're already a little soft, don't hesitate to press them down to make sure they all fit. This will also give the tart a better final appearance.
Next, roll out one sheet of shortcrust pastry to obtain a circle about 28 cm in diameter. Place the pastry over the apples and fold the edges inwards. Finally, make a hole in the center and prick the pastry several times to allow steam to escape.
We bake the cake for 1 hour at 180ºC, with heat above and below, and in the lower position of the oven.
Once the baking time is up, remove the Tatin tart from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes in the pan to set. Then, carefully turn it out onto a large plate, being careful not to burn yourself.
If desired, you can add an extra touch to enhance the presentation and make the cake shine. To do this, simply take 1 tablespoon of apricot jam and dilute it with 1 tablespoon of hot water. If the jam contains pieces of fruit, strain it through a sieve. Brush this mixture over the surface of the cake.
And there you have it, our apple Tatin tart is ready. The traditional way to serve it is warm, with a good cup of coffee. It's also very common to top it with whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even both.
Easy-to-prepare summary
- Heat the sugar with the water until it caramelizes
- Incorporate half of the butter into the caramel and mix well.
- Grease the mold, line the base with baking paper and cover with the caramel
- Peel the apples, cut them into quarters and remove the core
- Cook the apples with the remaining butter and cinnamon, for 10 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered.
- Distribute the apples in the mold
- Cover the apples with the shortcrust pastry, fold over the edges and make a few holes in the pastry
- Bake the apple Tatin tart for 1 hour at 180°C
- Let the cake rest for 15 minutes in the mold and then turn it over
- Paint the Tatin tart with apricot jam diluted with a little water
- Serve the Tatin tart warm or cold, according to preference.
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