Tarte Tatin

French Recipe – Tarte Tatin

France is a country renowned for its delicacies. In each city across the country there are countless boulangeries, meaning you will never struggle to find a sugary treat for yourself. However, one item which seems to get overlooked is a fruit tart. Many people refer to the beginning of the spring season as the perfect time to purchase fruits, so learn how to make a delicious Tarte tatin below!

Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Total: approx: 1 hour

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into bits
2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry (from a 14-ounce package), thawed

TIP:
Choose a firm apple that stands up to baking without collapsing, such as Braeburn, Cortland, Golden Delicious, or a combination.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a heavy-bottom 10-inch ovenproof or cast-iron skillet, stir together the 3/4 cup sugar and the vinegar. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the skillet (save the vanilla bean for another use). Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.

Step 2

Cook over medium heat, without stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is amber in color (like a brown paper bag).

Step 3

Remove from the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and swirl until the butter has melted. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Carefully arrange the apples over the sugar mixture in concentric circles, being careful not to touch the hot sugar mixture. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

Step 5

Place the puff pastry over the apples and tuck the sides down around the apples. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon sugar over the dough. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the pan juices are bubbling. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rimmed cake plate to serve.