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Apple Tarte Tatin
A stunning upside-down caramelised apple tart with French roots that has become a British dinner party staple. Golden, sticky apples sit beneath a crisp layer of buttery puff pastry, then the whole thing is flipped to reveal a beautifully bronzed top. Serve warm with crème fraîche for an elegant finish.
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Ingredients
- 1000 g Cox or Braeburn apples
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 150 golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 320 g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
Contains: cereals gluten, milk.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Melt the butter in a 24 cm ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber caramel, about 8–10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Arrange the apple halves cut-side up tightly in the caramel, packing them in as they will shrink during cooking.
- Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the apples begin to soften and release their juices.
- Unroll the puff pastry and cut a circle slightly larger than the pan. Lay it over the apples, tucking the edges down the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden and cooked through.
- Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then place a serving plate on top of the pan and carefully flip in one swift movement. Serve warm.
Tips
- Use firm, sweet-tart apples like Cox or Braeburn — soft varieties will turn to mush.
- Don't rush the caramel; it needs to be a deep amber to give the tart its signature flavour.
Ring the changes
- Add a pinch of ground cardamom to the caramel for a fragrant twist.
- Use a quince or pear in place of some of the apple for a more complex flavour.
Keeping it
Best eaten the day it is made. Store at room temperature loosely covered and reheat briefly in a warm oven before serving.
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2 h · medium · Apple
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