Tarte Tatin, also known as Tarte Tatin aux Pommes, is a flavorful French rustic tart made like my Pineapple Upside Down Cake but with fewer ingredients! Named after the Tatin sisters who accidentally invented it at their hotel, Hôtel Tatin, the Tarte Tatin became their signature dish. Just like the original, you start with a caramel base at the bottom of the pan, add apples, and then top it off with a puff pastry.
This Tatin recipe is so easy to make that you’ll be making it every week for Sunday dinner. If you’re worried about nailing it, don’t be! My easy step-by-step photos and tips will guide you all the way through the recipe. Want to try another apple recipe? Try my Apple Galette or Apple Strudel!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Apples — you want to get apples that will hold up when you bake them, as some can get mushy or grainy in the oven. You also want to get apples similar in size, so they all cook evenly. The best apples to use for a tarte Tatin are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady.
Puff pastry — you can find puff pastry at most major grocery stores in the frozen aisle, but you can easily make homemade puff pastry as well.
Sugar — as the sugar heats up, it will melt and start to caramelize. White granulated sugar is ideal, and I don’t recommend substituting it with a different sweetener.
HOW TO MAKE TARTE TATIN
1. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Set aside.
2. In a 10-inch oven-proof skillet, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom and drizzle with water. Cook over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until the mixture bubbles and turns light amber, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir in the butter until melted. It will bubble up, so be careful.
4. Add the apples. Cook, stirring the apples every few minutes until the caramel is a deep amber color, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Roll out the puff pastry slightly.
6. Cut the puff pastry into an 11-inch circle.
7. Arrange the apples, curved side down in concentric circles in the skillet.
8. Top off with the caramel.
9. Place the puff pastry over the apples, tucking the edges down with a spatula. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the puff pastry is a deep golden brown on top. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the tarte Tatin onto a rimmed serving plate.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Try not to cut the apples too small. Quartering them helps prevent the apples from turning into mush as it cooks with the caramel.
- If you don’t have a 9-inch oven-proof skillet, cook the caramel and apples in a skillet and then arrange the apples in a 9-inch round cake pan, pouring any remaining caramel over the top of the fruit before placing the puff pastry.
- Make sure the puff pastry has thawed before rolling it out, or it’ll rip.
- For extra flavor, you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or apple pie spice.
- Make flipping the Tarte Tatin easier by running a knife around the edge of the crust before flipping.
- If the apples shift as you flip the tarte Tatin out of the pan, you should be able to nudge them back in place. Once the dessert is fully cooled, it’ll set, and you won’t be able to fix it, so work quickly!
- Apples shrink a lot when they cook, so pack as many in the pan as possible.
- Tatins can be made with pears, plums, nectarines, or peaches as well.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is this served hot or cold?
You can serve your Tarte Tatin warm or cold. It’s up to you how you’d like to enjoy this dessert. I like serving it with ice cream or whipped cream.
Why is my Tatin soggy?
It’s normal for the puff pastry to get soft over time as the caramel gets soaked up as it cools. To decrease the amount of liquid, you could peel the apples and leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry them out. This way, the apples release less water as they cook.
Can I make this in advance?
You can arrange apples on top of the caramel, cover the pan with plastic, and store them in the fridge overnight. Cover with the puff pastry when ready to bake.
How do I store leftovers?
This tarte Tatin tastes best the same day you bake it, but you can also store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Tarte Tatin
Equipment
- 10-inch oven-proof skillet
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 firm baking apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons water
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 sheet puff pastry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Set aside.
- In a 10-inch oven-proof skillet, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom and drizzle with water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture bubbles and turns light amber, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted. (It will bubble up so be careful.)
- Add the apples. Cook, stirring the apples every few minutes until the caramel is a deep amber color, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the apples, curved side down in concentric circles in the skillet.
- Roll out the puff pastry slightly and cut it into an 11-inch circle. Place over the apples, tucking the edges down with a spatula. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the puff pastry is a deep golden brown on top.
- Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes (up to 30 if using a cast-iron skillet). Carefully invert the tart onto a rimmed serving plate.
Video
Notes
- Try not to cut the apples too small. Quartering them helps prevent the apples from turning into mush as it cooks with the caramel.
- If you don’t have a 9-inch oven-proof skillet, cook the caramel and apples in a skillet and then arrange the apples in a 9-inch round cake pan, pouring any remaining caramel over the top of the fruit before placing the puff pastry.
- Make sure the puff pastry has thawed before rolling it out, or it’ll rip.
- For extra flavor, you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or apple pie spice.
- Make flipping the Tarte Tatin easier by running a knife around the edge of the crust before flipping.
- If the apples shift as you flip the tarte Tatin out of the pan, you should be able to nudge them back in place. Once the dessert is fully cooled, it’ll set, and you won’t be able to fix it, so work quickly!
- Apples shrink a lot when they cook, so pack as many in the pan as possible.
- Tatins can be made with pears, plums, nectarines, or peaches as well.
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