Tarte Tatin
An upside-down caramelised apple tart from the Loire Valley — dark, sticky, buttery caramel beneath a blanket of tender apples and crisp, golden pastry. Simple in theory, spectacular in execution. Serve warm with crème fraîche.
About this dish
The Tarte Tatin was famously created by accident in 1889 at the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, France. Stéphanie Tatin, exhausted and distracted, began cooking her traditional apple tart but forgot to line the tin with pastry — placing it on top of the already-caramelising apples instead. She served it inverted, caramel-side up, and the mistake became the most beloved French pastry of the twentieth century.
- Vegetarian
- Not vegan because of Unsalted butter, All-butter puff pastry
- Contains gluten because of All-butter puff pastry
- Contains dairy because of Unsalted butter, All-butter puff pastry
Ingredients
- 1200gGolden Delicious apples
- 80gUnsalted butter
- 150gCaster sugar
- 250gAll-butter puff pastry
- 1tspGround cinnamon
Instructions
Peel, core, and halve the apples. If they are very large, cut into quarters. Pat dry with kitchen paper — excess moisture is the enemy of caramelisation.
10 minTip: Use Golden Delicious or Braeburn apples — they hold their shape beautifully and don't turn to mush. Soft apples like McIntosh will collapse and make a soggy tart.
In a 24 cm oven-safe frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar in an even layer and cook without stirring until it begins to melt around the edges. Then gently swirl the pan (do not stir) until you have a deep amber caramel. Add the cinnamon.
10 minTip: Caramel goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Once it reaches deep amber (the colour of old whisky), act fast. Swirling the pan distributes heat without introducing crystals.
Remove from heat. Arrange the apple halves cut-side up, tightly packed in concentric circles over the caramel. They will shrink during cooking, so pack them as tightly as possible — almost overlapping. Return to medium heat and cook 10 minutes.
10 minTip: Pack the apples tightly — they shrink considerably and you don't want gaps in the finished tart. Cut-side up ensures they hold their shape.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Roll the puff pastry into a circle slightly larger than your pan. Drape it over the apples, tucking the edges down around the inside of the pan like tucking in a blanket.
5 minTip: Tuck the pastry in firmly — the steam from the apples will try to push it up. The pastry acts as a lid during baking, trapping moisture to keep the apples tender.
Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crisp. Remove from oven and rest for exactly 5 minutes — not longer, or the caramel will set and the tart will stick to the pan.
30 minTip: The 5-minute rest is critical. Too soon and the caramel will splash when you flip; too late and it will stick permanently.
Place a large plate or board over the pan. Flip the tarte tatin in one swift motion. Some caramel will drizzle over the sides — this is expected and correct. Rearrange any apple pieces that have moved. Serve warm with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
5 minTip: Like the original accident that created this tart, the flip requires commitment. Press the plate firmly to the pan and flip quickly and confidently.