Apple Tarte Tatin
Classic french apple cake.
Classic French apple pie cooked in an ovenproof frying pan. The apples are first caramelized in butter and sugar before the cake base (pie dough / puff pastry) is placed on top of the apples. After the cake is cooked, it is turned upside down and served that way with the pie dough at the bottom. The cake can also be made with other fruits such as pears, peaches, plums or quince. There are also varieties where instead of fruit you use vegetables such as onions and tomatoes together with olives and season with e.g. chili and herbs like thyme and rosemary.
The origin of the recipe is discussed but not completely clarified. Some claim that the cake was created by mistake by trying to make a traditional apple cake, but forgot the apples for too long in butter and sugar. Others say they simply baked caramelized apple pie upside down by mistake and served it anyway. What is known, however, is that Tarte Tatin became a signature dish at Hôtel Tatin in the late 19th century. The hotel was run by sisters Stephanie and Caroline Tatin and was located south of Paris in Lamotte-Beuvron. It has been speculated whether the sisters actually created the dish or if it is an improved version of tarte solognote - regardless, it is a good recipe that you should try to cook at some point.
Most recipes mention that you need firm apples so that they do not fall apart while the cake is being cooked. I have tried different varieties and always managed to get a good result. Classic Swedish autumn apples are perfect for most things so I use what is available at the time, but some varieties that are normally mentioned are Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Royal Gala.
If you want to be really luxurious, you make the puff pastry yourself, but I like to cheat with puff pastry and in this recipe I use bought dough. The cake is often served with vanilla sauce, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Since you work with melted sugar, you should be a little careful not to burn yourself. Especially when you turn the finished and hot cake from the frying pan into a serving dish. Feel free to practice sometime before you start cooking so you know approximately what you can expect when it is then to be done for real - you do not want to be surprised and drop everything on the floor or burn yourself. It is also quite easy to burn the sugar which gives the cake a bitter and unpleasant taste. Try to melt the sugar at medium temperature and make sure that the sugar is even in the pan. Let the sugar just get a light golden brown color before mixing in the butter.
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
- Peel and core the apples. Cut them to wedges, cover with lemon juice to avoid browning.
- In an oven safe frying pan - dissolve the suger on medium heat until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
- When the suger is done - add butter and cinnamon. Turn off the hob.
- Add the apples to the pan, cover everything with the pastry.
- Cook in the oven 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Put a plate up side down on top of the cake. Turn everything up side down and you should have the cake on the plate.
- Serve with icecream and/or whipped cream.
Nutrition Facts*
| Total | Serving | 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 2129.4 kcal | 354.9 kcal | 180 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 284.98 g | 47.5 g | 24.09 g |
| Fat | 102.57 g | 17.09 g | 8.67 g |
| Protein | 10.88 g | 1.81 g | 0.92 g |
| Sugar | 187.03 g | 31.17 g | 15.81 g |
| Salt | 0.83 g | 0.14 g | 0.07 g |
* The nutritional information provided is approximated and calculated using the ingredients available in the database. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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Drygast
Foodie, amateur cook, software developer, dog owner and generic old guy.
