For some reason I have always thought that making this classic French tarte tatin recipe would be pretty difficult to do at home. So I kind of kept pushing that baking challenge aside for months on my recipes-to-make list. Up until now.
Because now I find myself in charge of making an apple dessert!
We have invited a Calvados lover and his wife over to our place for dinner next week. So what should I make for dessert then? Well I think that it is pretty straight forward.
It didn’t take me long to think of the perfect sweet treat to finish a good dinner.
Dessert
But I am a very good baker and dessert maker.
I don’t make a lot of desserts and sweet treats at home. So to make absolutely sure that I wouldn’t mess up our dessert plans, I tried my hand at this classic French taste tatin for the very first time yesterday.
I would call it an experiment to see how it would turn out.
Just because my biggest nightmare would be to put a chewy undercooked pastry shell filled with mushy apple sauce on the table after a fantastic 3-course menu.
That would be such a disappointment.
And I would be disappointed in myself as well.
Easy French Tarte Tatin Recipe
So this first trial turned out quite well I have to say!
I was very surprised, and delighted of course.
After flipping over the hot tatin pan onto a plate (which is the hardest part of this entire apple tatin recipe really) I was over the moon. My tarte tatin dessert looked absolutely gorgeous!
And the flavor is great too, spot on.
This is definitely a tarte tatin recipe to cherish!
And one dessert that I will be making more often from now on. With a scoop of creamy vanilla ice on the side or on top of that lukewarm apple pie… That would make it even better.
Tatin
Are you looking for a savory kind of tarte tatin recipe?
Then you should also check out my tomato tatin!
Enjoy!
Easy French Tarte Tatin Recipe
A classic French tarte tatin recipe is much easier than you think!
- 3 russet apples
- 3,5 oz pastry flour (100 g)
- 4 oz unsalted butter (115 g), cold
- 4,5 oz caster sugar (125 g)
- 1 medium egg
- salt
Transfer the pastry flour, egg, 1 oz (28 g) of caster sugar and 2,5 oz (75 g) of butter to a blender.
- Pulse until you get a firm dough.
Then transfer it to a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes until soft. Shape the smooth dough into a ball and wrap it in cling film. Let the dough rest at least 30 minutes in the fridge. In the meantime peel the apples and cut them in half. Remove the inside.
Melt 1 oz (28 g) of butter in a pan over low heat. Stir in 2 oz (55 g) of caster sugar.
- Then place the peeled apples cut side down in the pan.
Turn the heat higher. Let the apples cook for 15 minutes. Shake the pan regularly to avoid burning but don't stir the apples. Roll out the chilled dough in a circle large enough to cover the pan.
- Take the pan with apples off the heat. Then place the dough on top.
Gently tuck the sides in and press to cover the apples fully. Bake the tatin in a preheated oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 30 minutes until light brown. Cover with tinfoil if it browns too fast. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven when ready. Place a plate on top and turn the pan over fast. Let the tatin cool a bit. Serve lukewarm.
What sort of a pan is used for this? It appears the apples are cooked in this pan on the stove top and then cooked in the same pan.