Tarte Tatin is a classic French dessert made with caramelized apples and a flaky pastry crust. To perfect the Tarte Tatin, here are some tips:

1. Use the right apples: Choose apples that are firm and tart, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. These varieties will hold their shape and flavor when baked.

2. Caramelize the apples: Cook the apples and sugar together until the sugar turns into a golden-brown caramel. This will give the apples a deep, rich flavor and prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

3. Use a good pastry crust: A flaky, buttery pastry crust is essential to a perfect Tarte Tatin. You can use store-bought puff pastry or make your own using a recipe that includes cold butter, flour, and ice water.

4. Invert the Tarte Tatin correctly: After baking, let the Tarte Tatin cool for a few minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot caramel.

5. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream: The Tarte Tatin is best served warm with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This will help balance out the sweetness of the caramelized apples.

What You Need

Ingredients

• 6 Granny Smith apples, or other hard, tart apple

• 1 9-inch pie crust dough

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Ice cream or crème fraîche, optional for serving

• Equipment

• Vegetable peeler

• 10-inch ovensafe skillet, cast iron or stainless steel preferred

• Pie plate

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Peel and core the apples. Peel the apples, slice them into quarters, and remove the core. Roll out the pie crust to a little larger than 10 inches on a piece of wax paper and keep chilled in the refrigerator while you cook the apples.

3. Start the caramel sauce. Melt the better in the skillet over medium to medium-high heat, then stir in the sugar. It will be grainy and clumpy at first, then start to dissolve into a syrupy liquid.

4. Add the apples to the sauce. When the sugar and butter are bubbling, add the apples and sprinkle with salt. No need to be fancy with how you arrange the apples now.

5. Cook the apples until caramelized. Cook the apples, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce darkens to a deep amber caramel color. This should take 12 to 15 minutes. Be sure to turn the apples as you stir them so they are coated with the caramel sauce. A good indication of when the caramel sauce is done is if a drip holds its shape on a cool plate.

6. Top with the pie crust. Remove the pan of apples from the heat. With a fork and a spatula, turn the apples so their rounded surfaces are agains the bottom of the pan and arrange them in concentric circles. Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and drape it over the hot apples. Be careful not to touch the hot caramel sauce! Tuck the edges of the pie crust into the pan and prick with a fork.

7. Bake the tarte Tatin. Bake the tarte Tatin for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

8. Cool the tarte Tatin briefly. Set the tarte on a cooling rack and cool for 10-20 minutes.

9. Invert the tarte Tatin. Run a knife around the edge of the pie crust to separate it from the pan. Shake the skillet a few times to loosen the apples in the caramel sauce. Place the pie plate over the top of the skillet. Using oven mitts, grip the plate and the skillet and swiftly turn them both over so the pie plate is on the bottom and the skillet is on top.

10. Remove the skillet and make presentable. Gently lift the skillet away and re-arrange any stubborn apples that have gotten jostled out of place. Scrape any remaining caramel sauce from the pan and drizzle over the tarte.

11. Serve warm with ice cream or crème fraîche. Serve the tarte Tatin while it's still warm, topped with ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche. Leftover tarte can be kept refrigerated for several days (and make an excellent breakfast).

Recipe Notes

Tarte Tatins with Other Fruits: Fruits of a similar hardness (quince, asian pear) can be cooked like apples. Softer fruits (apricots, pears, peaches) should be added to the skillet at the end of cooking the sauce, once the sauce has cooked to a dark amber color.

Salted Caramel Tarte Tatin: Add an extra half teaspoon of salt to the caramel as it cooks, then sprinkle the top of the finished tarte with crunchy sea salt.

People love Tarte Tatin for several reasons. Firstly, the combination of caramelized apples and buttery pastry is simply delicious. The sweetness of the caramelized apples, paired with the crisp and flaky pastry crust, makes for a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Additionally, Tarte Tatin has a rich history and is often associated with traditional French cuisine, making it a popular dessert for those looking to experience the taste of France. The dessert also has a rustic, homemade feel to it, which many people find comforting and nostalgic.

Finally, Tarte Tatin is a versatile dessert that can be enjoyed in many different ways. It can be served warm or cold, with whipped cream, ice cream, or on its own. It is also a great dessert to share with friends and family, making it a perfect addition to any gathering or special occasion.