Anytime I hear the words “apple pie” my first reaction is always: no, boring. It doesn’t matter if it is French apple pie, Dutch apple pie or whether its served with ice cream or with the biggest dollop of freshly made vanilla bean whipped cream, apple pie is generally a pass for me. Precious dessert calories need to be saved for something that is truly worth the splurge. Now, I do have one or two exceptions to this rule – both of which happen to be French.

The French are known for drawing unbelievable flavor out of very simple ingredients. Part of this is through carefully selecting and sourcing seasonal ingredients. The other part is by applying refined techniques to create culinary masterpieces out of very humble ingredients. For example, in attempting to bake the ominous French maracon, one will find the ingredient list to be quite short and simple: eggs, sugar, almonds and a lot of patience for when the maracons want to break, crack and stick to the pan. But, with proper technique of “aging” egg whites and folding powdered almonds ever so gently into a cloud of perfectly beaten egg whites, one is sure to end up with macarons that could rival the window display at Ladurée in Paris.

Fortunately, Tarte Tatin doesn’t require the attention to detail needed to perfect the French macaron. Yet, the end product is equally as delicious and maintains a rustic elegance. A wonderfully prepared caramel, perfectly arranged seasonal fruit and flakey sweet pastry – this dessert has the very bones of something iconically French.

The first time I had Apple Tarte Tatin was in Paris. I had just arrived off of a flight from Los Angeles. I was meeting my brother and sister in law for a week of French croissants, sidewalk cafe dining and authentic market visits. It was dinner time upon arrival and my brother suggested we eat at the restaurant around the corner from where we were staying. Now, I’m not someone that typically does well with ambiguity. When I travel I like to have a self imposed itinerary, I’ve done my research and I’ve certainly pre-booked the restaurants. I mean, who has time for a bad meal? On this particular evening however – perhaps due to the delusion of a 15 hour travel day – I agreed to be adventurous and walk into the unknown.

I’ve learned over the years that sometimes relinquishing control of my A-type personality can be a gift. This was definitely one of those times. To my surprise we had the BEST evening at “the restaurant around the corner.” It couldn’t have been a more of a stereotypical scene. We were seated at a wonderful patio bistro table. A typical street band wandered past the restaurant playing French classics. A champagne bucket filled to the brim sat in the entranceway of the restaurant as if it were inviting guests in for an apéritif. And naturally, cigarette smoked billowed from the tables around us. It was the perfect setting for our first evening in Paris.

When I truly thought the evening could not get any better, Louise, the charming woman who owned the restaurant, walked over to our table and put down the most wonderful looking slice of Apple Tarte Tatin. I took one bite and realized I’d never had anything quite like it before! It was sweet, the apples were so soft yet still held their form – and the crust! Oh là là. *insert heart emoji* From that point, I was on a mission to recreate the perfect Tarte Tatin at home.

Traditional Tarte Tatin is made with apples but now one can find “Tatin” all over France made with everything from Pears to Pineapple. For my version, I’m sticking to the classic! In this particular recipe, the ingredients are measured by weight. Measuring by weight vs. standard US measuring cups is always the way to go when baking. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, it is worth the investment – trust me! I recently replaced mine with this stainless beauty from Amazon. Inexpensive, sleek and effective.

To demonstrate how the apples are to be prepared and placed in the pan, I’m including my YouTube tutorial below on How to Make Apple Tarte Tatin. It was my very first attempt at making a YouTube video!

Need something to start with before diving into dessert? Try my Soupe Au Potiron, French Inspired Roasted Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Soup.

Bonne Chance et Bon Appétit!

French Apple Tarte Tatin

Recipe by dinnerswithdaveCourse: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

This French bistro classic is nothing short of fabulous. It is a classic for a reason! Traditional Tarte Tatin is made with apples, but now one can find “Tatin” all over France made with everything from Pears to Pineapple! Impress your family, friends and taste buds with this delectable recipe. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients

• For The Crust

• 250g all purpose flour

• 15g granulated sugar

• 1 pinch sea salt

• 125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• 1 egg yolk from an extra large egg

• 50ml ice water

• For The Caramel

• 300g granulated sugar

• 100ml water

• 125g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• For The Apples

• 6 to 8 organic granny smith or golden delicious apples

Directions

• To make the crust combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer (I use my Kitchen Aid but a food processor is also just fine). Mix dry ingredients on low speed until combined. Add cold butter and mix on medium low speed until the butter is incorporated and looks like gravel or small pebbles. With the motor on low, add the egg yolk. Slowly drizzle in just enough ice water to allow the dough to come together.
• Empty the dough out onto a floured surface. Form dough into a ball and ensure it is well coated in flour. Wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, prepare the caramel. In a large saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil. Swirl the pan as the sugar starts to melt. Cook over medium high heat until the sugar is a warm amber brown, approx. 10 minutes. Watch sugar carefully once it starts to brown as it can go from beautiful to burnt in a matter of seconds.
• Remove from heat and immediately add cubed butter. Whisk until combined. Careful, it will bubble up furiously! Pour immediately into a 12″ cast iron skillet* and set aside.
• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare the apples by peeling them, coring them and slicing them into quarters.
• Once the caramel has cooled slightly, arrange the apples in a circular pattern in the bottom of the pan. The bottom of the Tarte Tatin will become the top as this dessert gets flipped out, so take note and make your pattern as pretty as possible.
• On a well-floured surface, roll out the chilled dough with a rolling pin moving it around occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Roll out into a circle until the dough is approx. 1/4″ thick. Gently place the pastry over the apples allowing the excess dough to hang over the side of the skillet. Roll the excess dough hanging over the side of the skillet to create a “lip” around the parameter of the pan and tuck it around the apples. With the point of a knife poke several holes in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape during baking. Check out my YouTube video below for a tutorial on how to assemble the Tatin!
• Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes until apples are cooked and crust has started to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 25 minutes or until caramel has cooled and the pan is cool enough to handle.
• Loosen the edges of the tarte with a sharp knife. Take a serving plate and hold it firmly against the top of the tarte. With a good grip and a lot of confidence, flip the tarte upside down and place the plate onto your workspace. Tap the bottom of the pan a few times to ensure the tarte has fully unmolded. Et voila!
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.

Recipe Video

Notes

• *If you don’t have a 12″ cast iron skillet, no problem! Use a cake pan or a pie dish to execute the recipe, as pictured. Pour just enough caramel into the pan to generously coat the bottom and proceed accordingly. You will not need all of the caramel if using a smaller pan. You may also need to adjust the number of apples and the baking time slightly.