Last updated on October 5th, 2022
Arrange apple slices on a bed of caramel, top them with pastry crust, unmold so the crust is on the bottom, and what do you get? La Tarte Tatin. The history of this divine decadence, along with my step-by-step recipe:
Who invented this tart? Well, Tatin (pronounced “tah-TAN”) refers to the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, France. In the 1880s, the hotel was run by sisters Stephanie and Caroline Tatin. As the story goes, one day Stephanie accidentally burned a single-crust apple pie in the oven. To hide the damage, she simply served the pie upside down. Guests were instantly smitten by Stephanie’s brilliant blunder, and the tart became a regular feature on the menu.
I make the dessert this way:
To start, put the zest and juice of 1 lemon into a large, blue bowl.
Tip: If you don’t have a lemon-squeezing gadget, by all means obtain one. It’s not expensive. And it works like a charm.
Then grab six “baking apples” — the kind that will hold their shape when cooked. I prefer ‘Golden Delicious,’ but other good baking-varieties include ‘Fuji,’ ‘Gala,’ and ‘Granny Smith.’
Core, peel, and quarter the apples…
Then cut the quarters in half.
Add the apples to the lemon mixture, and toss with a polka-dotted spatula.
Add 1/2 cup sugar, and toss again.
After the apples have exuded their juices for 15 minutes, drain in a colander or sieve. Don’t omit this draining-step, or your tart won’t set up properly. I speak from experience.
Meanwhile, dice up a stick of butter, and melt it over medium heat in a well-seasoned, 8-inch diameter cast-iron skillet.
No 8-inch cast-iron skillet for you? Run out and purchase one. It’s not an expensive item, and it will last you forever.
Stephanie Tatin, whom we referenced earlier, certainly used cast-iron. And she had the bulging biceps to prove it.
Disclaimer: I do not know if demoiselle Tatin had bulging biceps.
After the butter melts, add 1 cup sugar.
Stir slowly and constantly until the mixture turns caramel brown — 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
In a single layer on top of the hot caramel, arrange the apple slices in an attractive pattern. Concentric circles are always nice.
No picture of this next step, because I forgot to take one: Dump the remaining apples on top.
Return the skillet to a medium-low flame.
Now grab the bulb baster you haven’t touched since last Thanksgiving…
And use it to suck up and redistribute the caramel over the apples.
Cover the skillet, lower the heat, and let the apples cook for 15 minutes.
Also, center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Meanwhile…roll the dough 1 inch larger than the diameter of your pan.
Off heat, place the crust over the apples, and tuck it in along the pan’s edge.
Poke four or five small holes into the pastry, as above, to allow steam to escape.
Bake for exactly 20 minutes. The pastry will have browned slightly, and the caramel and apple juices — if you tilt the pan — will be syrupy-thick.
Tip: If, after tilting your pan, the juices are runny rather than thick, just set the skillet over a medium flame for a couple of minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.
While everything is still hot, set an upside-down plate or serving platter over the skillet…
Invert the two…
Et voila — La Tarte Tatin!
Oh. If a few apples stick to the pan, just replace them on the tart. Or eat them.
You can serve this French opulence warm or cold. It’s delicious with or without ice cream, whipped cream, sour cream, or Brill Cream.
Here’s the printable:
Caramelized apples baked in a skillet with a pastry crust on top, then unmolded so the crust is on the bottom. Delicious.
Ingredients
- The zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 6 “baking” apples, such as ‘Golden Delicious,’ ‘Granny Smith,’ ‘Fuji,’ or ‘Gala’
- 1 1/2 cups sugar (300 grams), divided
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, diced
- Pastry Dough
Instructions
- Put the lemon zest and juice into a large bowl. Peel, core, and quarter the apples, then cut the quarters in half. Add the apples to the lemon mixture, top with 1/2 cup sugar, and gently toss with a spatula until all slices are coated. Let the apples exude their juice for 15 minutes. Drain in a colander or sieve.
- Melt the butter in a well-seasoned, 8-or 9inch diameter cast-iron skillet set over a medium flame. Add the remaining sugar, and stir slowly and constantly until the mixture turns a rich caramel-brown — 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a single layer on top of the hot caramel, arrange apple slices in an attractive pattern, such as concentric circles. Dump the remaining apples on top (you don’t have to “arrange” these, as they won’t be on public view after the tart is unmolded). Return the skillet to medium-low heat.
- Using a bulb baster, suck up some of the caramel, and redistribute it over the apple slices. Then cover the skillet, and let the apples cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, roll the dough 1 inch larger
- than the diameter of your pan. Also, set the oven rack at the center position; preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Off heat, place the dough over the apples, and gently tuck it in along the edge of the pan. Then make 4 or 5 small holes in the crust, to allow steam to escape.
- Bake for exactly 20 minutes. The dough will have browned slightly, and the juices will have evaporated into a thick syrup. If, after tilting the pan, the juices seem watery rather than thick, just set the skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, or until some (though not all!) of the juices evaporate.
- Immediately set an upside-down serving dish or platter over the skillet. Invert to unmold the tart.
- Serve warm or cold, and with or without ice cream, whipped cream, sour cream or creme fraiche.
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More delicious eats from Kevin:
Chicken and Mushrooms in Tarragon Cream
Thyme and Wine Beef Stew (GF)
My Very Serious Brownies
Pia says
For us Kiwis in New Zealand, what weight is a ‘stick’ of butter please. I love following your delightful lifestyle. Thank you for sharing it.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Pia – Your wish is my command: I’ve added the weight for both sugar and butter in the copy-and-paste version of the recipe. Enjoy this fine tart!
CarolAnn says
“Brill Cream”…..hahahahahahahahahaaaaa!!!!!!!
Brenda Johnson says
What a grand afternoon to have Kevin pop ’round with a large slice of this magnificent delight! Such a delicious feast- for the eyes and the mouth! Fall flavors- buttery caramel and juicy apples… not too sweet… elegant enough to impress at your next company occasion… yet just as good when picked up and eaten from hand “sans silverware” (as I did while we chatted!) Thank you Kevin!
Joann DeLeury says
Hi Kevin…..I’ve always wanted to have a neighbor just like you…but I can’t live by you so will keep making these lovely desserts!! Thanks again!!
Patricia Walmsley says
Thanks for adding the weights Kevin, usually I am on the computer trying to decipher the cups and sticks. Much appreciated, especially in this fabulous tart.
Will says
Magnificent! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Sheri says
Yummy beautiful! I love reading the comments and it’s quite an eye-opener of how people live in other countries. I’m so spoiled and have never used a kitchen weight scale in my whole life.
I’m getting old, if it wasn’t for CarolAnn I’d be looking out for a “Brill Cream” recipe! Funny!
Linda says
Too much fun 🙂
Lori G. says
Gotta get that cast iron skillet! This looks divine.
kathy passie says
Thanks Kevin.. Making one tomorrow for guests..Yummy!!!
Chef-Debra says
Best investment I’ve made is a square cast iron pan the fits the store bought puff pastry perfectly. I use Gala apples and saute them in the sugar butter mixture until it all caramelizes nicely. They need to cook about 10 mins.Then on goes the puff pastry and into a 400 degree oven until the pastry turns golden. If the pastry puffs up too much I pierce it a bit. We serve 4 large squares from ours.
Amanda Wiersma says
Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Addie B in FL says
You are a wizard with plants and food, Kevin, (and obviously computers as well!). I have brown thumbs, although my house plants are still alive, but my English husband has been quite successful at growing vegetables in the sand that passes for soil here in Florida, as well as the weird growing seasons, though not without lots of compost, fertilizer, sweat, and swearing. I think he’ll be giving it up now that we’ve bought a 31 foot camper – we’d rather see more of the country than worry about who’s going to water the veggies!
I’ll be making your apple tarte tartin this week, even though I haven’t done pie crust from scratch in years; yours sounds pretty simple so I may give it a go. And I think our local Walmart has iron skillets :-))
Dee Davis says
You should have your own show!!! I always smile while reading your recipes 😀
Loved the Brill Cream comment, I said to myself, wonder how many people will know what he’s referencing? 🙂 Yes, i know, my age is showing. lol
Thanks for sharing, as we just picked out apples on Friday I have an abundance, so this will be on the menu this week for sure!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Dee – I had to throw in Brill Cream (it’s actually spelled Brylcreem) just to make sure people were reading! As the ads used to say, “A little dab’ll do ya.”
Addie B in FL says
I remember the Brylcreem ads of yore so I knew what you meant, but I always wondered what kind of person would “love to run their fingers” through the hair of a guy using that stuff!! Yuk!
And I agree with Dee that you would have a great show, but this is more personal, and anyway, where would you find the time?
Pei says
Do you add the lemon juice to the butter/sugar mixture to cook with the apples?
Is the only purpose of the lemon juice is to keep the apple from turning brown?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Pei – The lemon juice/zest is added to the apples for flavor. Even though you drain the exuded juices, the apples will have absorbed the lemon flavorings. No need to preserve the color of the apples, since they will be cooked in the caramel. Hope this answered your question!
Abigail says
Merci Kevin,
Making apple pie was getting old but your Tarte Tatin is the absolutely delicious substitute for the necessary apple greeting to autumn. Also, I love all your French desserts. They are easy to make with your terrific photos and clear instructions.
Kathleen says
Is “pastry crust” the same as your Pâte Brisée recipe? Or is it something else?
Thanks!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kathleen – Yes, same as my Pâte Brisée. Enjoy!
Kathleen says
Thanks, Kevin. I’ll let you know what the family thinks. I can’t wait to try this!
Pollyalida says
Perfect, thank you. Was looking for a couple of recipes I could make-ahead for a dinner party soon. This and the leek soup from your newsletter sound perfect. Just need a vegetarian main dish. Trying to impress a friend who used to be a chef. Intimidating! 🙂
Marsha says
Oh MAN!
Kevin, your Tarte Tatin looks Soooo…. DELICIOUS! I can’t wait to try it! And I love learning the history of this dessert. Isn’t it true that a Kitchen is like a Laboratory? Occasionally “mistakes” such as the Tatin turn into something new & wonderful! WIN!WIN!