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    Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe

    Published November 11, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    This easy-to-make tarte Tatin recipe has only 6 ingredients and comes together in under 1 hour for an unbelievably delicious dessert. You will love the simplicity and flavors in this class tart recipe.

    We’ve got a sweet tooth like no other in our family and always crave dessert after any main entrée. If you’re in a similar boat, you must try my Carrot Cake or Sopapilla.

    tarte tatin slice on a plate


     

    Tarte Tatin

    Tarte Tatin is a famous French upside-down apple tart. It’s made by covering the bottom of a skillet or cake pan with butter and sugar until it caramelizes, and then apples are layered on top. It is then covered in a simple dough like a pie crust called shortcrust pastry dough and then baked until finished. 

    The tart is said to be created by two French sisters who lived in the Loire Valley and made a living serving this tart. The classic name for this dish is tarte des demoiselles Tatin, which translates as the tarte of two unmarried women named Tatin. Fun story.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    tarte tatin ingredients
    • Flour – All-purpose flour is perfect to use in this.
    • Butter – Always use cold unsalted butter.
    • Sugar – I like castor sugar in this recipe, but granulated will also work.
    • Eggs – 1 large egg is used for the shortcrust pastry dough.
    • Apples – The common apples to use for this would be Braeburn or Golden Delicious. However, you can use your favorite apples in this.
    • Salt – Sea salt will help to season up or dough.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    Start making the short-crust pastry dough by processing some butter, flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until the butter is the size of rice.

    processing flour with butter

    Next, add in the egg and mix until combined.

    adding an egg to dough

    Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes.

    kneading pie dough

    Form it into a thick disk, wrap it in parchment paper and keep it in the refrigerator until we are ready to pull it out and use it.

    wrapping dough in a parchment paper

    In the meantime, melt some castor sugar in a non-stick skillet over low heat until it is lightly brown.

    making caramel in a pan

    Stir in the butter until completely combined.

    adding butter to caramel

    Form the quartered apples around the skillet to form a circular, fanned shape.

    placing apples into a pan

    Place on a lid and cook over low to medium heat for 15 minutes or until the apples are softened.

    covering a pan with apples

    Roll out the dough until it is slightly smaller than the size of the skillet with the apples.

    rolling out pie dough

    Remove the lid from the apples and place the dough right on top.

    placing dough over cooking apples

    Tuck in the sides of the dough with a spoon and then poke several holes in the dough to let the heat escape. Bake at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is browned and cooked.

    poking wholes in dough

    Cool the cake slightly before inverting it onto a serving dish. Serve with ice cream.

    baked tarte tatin

    Make-Ahead and Storage

    Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 day ahead of time.

    How to Store: Cover the tarte Tatin and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before slicing and serving.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    Chef Notes + Tip

    • Suppose the dough is too dry while processing. Add a tablespoon or two of water. If it’s too wet, add a few tablespoons of flour.
    • After adding the butter to the sugar caramel in the pan, you can enhance the flavor by adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 sliced vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
    • The dough can stay in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before use.
    • Process regular granulated sugar in a fast food processor to make castor sugar until it becomes fine.
    • Feel free to make this in a 9” deep cake pan or an 8”-9” cast-iron skillet.

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    Video

    Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe

    5 from 6 votes
    This easy-to-make tarte Tatin recipe has only 6 ingredients and comes together in under 1 hour for an unbelievably delicious dessert.
    Servings: 8
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes

    Ingredients 

    For the Short Crust Pastry Dough

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 tablespoon castor sugar
    • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
    • 1 large egg
    • Cold water

    For the Filling

    • ½ cup castor sugar
    • ¾ stick cold unsalted butter, cut up.
    • 4 large peeled, cored, and quartered Braeburn apples

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400°.
    • Start by making the short-crust pastry dough by processing some flour, salt, a tablespoon of castor sugar, and butter in a food processor on high speed until the butter is the size of rice.
    • Next, add the egg and mix until combined and the dough starts to come together. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water.
    • Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes.
    • Form it into a thick disk, wrap it in parchment paper and keep it in the refrigerator until we are ready to pull it out and use it.
    • In the meantime, the ½ cup of castor sugar in a non-stick skillet over low heat until it is melted and lightly brown. You will need to stir this frequently with a high-temperature rubber spatula.
    • Stir in the butter until completely combined.
    • Form the quartered apples around the skillet to form a circular, fanned shape. See the video.
    • Place on a lid and cook over low to medium heat for 15 minutes or until the apples are softened.
    • Roll out the dough until it is slightly smaller than the size of the skillet with the apples.
    • Remove the lid from the apples and place the dough right on top.
    • Tuck in the sides of the dough with a spoon and then poke several holes in the dough to let the heat escape.
    • Bake at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is browned and cooked.

    Notes

    Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 day ahead of time.
    How to Store: Cover the tarte Tatin and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before slicing and serving.
    Suppose the dough is too dry while processing. Add a tablespoon or two of water. If it’s too wet, add a few tablespoons of flour.
    After adding the butter to the sugar caramel in the pan, you can enhance the flavor by adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 sliced vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
    The dough can stay in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before use.
    Process regular granulated sugar in a fast-food processor to make castor sugar until it becomes fine.
    Feel free to make this in a 9” deep cake pan or an 8”-9” cast-iron skillet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 158mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 873IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 2mg
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French