Tarte Tatin with Apples — the Classic French Dessert with Caramelized Apples

Short history:

Tarte Tatin was born in the late 19th century in Lamotte-Beuvron, France, when sisters Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin left the apples in caramel for their dessert — and from this “mistake” came one of the most famous desserts in French cuisine.

Ingredients

(for 8 servings):

1 kg apples (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith)
150 g sugar
100 g butter
1 sheet of puff pastry (about 250 g)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Juice of half a lemon
A pinch of salt
Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Preparation

Peel the apples, remove the cores and cut them into thick slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep them from browning.

In an oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the sugar. Let it caramelize until it turns amber (5–7 minutes), without stirring too much.

Arrange the apple slices over the caramel in a circular pattern, packed tightly. Sprinkle the cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat for 10–12 minutes, until the apples soften slightly and the liquid thickens.

Heat the oven to 200°C. Place the pastry sheet over the apples, tucking the edges down around them. Prick the dough with a fork in several places.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry turns golden.

Let it cool for 5–10 minutes, then place a large plate over the skillet and carefully flip it upside down. Slowly remove the skillet — the caramelized apples end up on top.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Preparation time:
about 25 minutes.

Baking time:
about 40 minutes.

Servings:
8.