Classic Tarte Tatin

Name: Classic Tarte Tatin
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 pounds (1360 g) firm tart apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), about 8 medium apples, peeled, halved, and cored with a spoon or melon baller; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed juice (about ½ lemon); 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar; 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, cool but not hard; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional); 1 sheet (about 9 oz) (255 g) all-butter puff pastry sheet, thawed, kept cold; 1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Buttery amber caramel, tender apples that hold their shape, and a crisp puff pastry lid, baked in one skillet and flipped to reveal a glossy, upside-down apple tart.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 2 hr 10 min
Makes: 1 tart (10-inch/25 cm), 8 slices

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the apples
3 pounds (1360 g) firm tart apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), about 8 medium apples, peeled, halved, and cored with a spoon or melon baller
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed juice (about ½ lemon)
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
For the caramel
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, cool but not hard
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional)
For the crust
1 sheet (about 9 oz) (255 g) all-butter puff pastry sheet, thawed, kept cold
1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface

Equipment (7)

10-inch (25 cm) oven-safe skillet, cast iron or stainless steel
Rimmed baking sheet (to catch drips)
Vegetable peeler and paring knife
Rolling pin
Serving plate or platter, at least 11 inches (28 cm) wide
Oven mitts (the handle stays very hot)
Fork or paring knife for pricking pastry

Steps

Before you start

Thaw frozen puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight, or follow package directions, so it unfolds without cracking.
You need a 10-inch (25 cm) oven-safe skillet, ideally cast iron or stainless steel (not nonstick). Check the handle is oven-safe.
Choose firm, tart apples that hold their shape when baked, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious.
Read the whole recipe first: the caramel moves quickly, and the tart must be flipped while warm (within 10–15 minutes of leaving the oven).

1
Prep the apples
- Peel the apples, cut them in half through the stem, and scoop out the cores.
- Toss the halves in a large bowl with the lemon juice and the 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar.
- Let them sit for 20 minutes; they will release some juice, which you will drain off before cooking so the caramel doesn't turn watery.
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Ready when: Apples are glistening and a pool of juice has collected in the bowl
Tip: Drain and pat the apples dry before they go into the skillet. Wet apples make a thin, pale caramel.
2
Roll out pastry
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a square about 11 inches (28 cm) wide, roughly ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Cut a 11-inch (28 cm) round, trimming the corners.
- Prick the round all over with a fork, slide it onto a plate or parchment, and refrigerate until needed.
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Ready when: Pastry round is smooth, even, and still cold to the touch
Tip: If the pastry turns soft or sticky, chill it for 10 minutes before using.
3
Preheat the ovenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below it to catch drips.
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
4
Make the caramel
- Drain the apples well and pat dry.
- Set the 10-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Add the butter, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, and the salt.
- Stir gently until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let it bubble, swirling the pan occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until it turns a deep amber, the color of honey-brown maple syrup, and smells nutty.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, if using.
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Ready when: Caramel is deep amber and smells toasty, with no pale or grainy patches
Tip: Caramel goes from perfect to burnt in seconds. If it starts smoking, pull it off the heat immediately.
5
Arrange the apples
- While the caramel is hot, arrange the apple halves rounded-side down in a tight circle around the skillet, with the cut sides facing up.
- Tuck extra halves into the center, packing them snugly since they will shrink as they cook.
- Be careful: the caramel is extremely hot.
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Ready when: Pan is packed tightly with no large gaps
Tip: Use tongs to place the apples and avoid caramel burns.
6
Soften apples on the stove
- Return the skillet to medium heat and cook the apples for 12–15 minutes, occasionally spooning the caramel over them, until the apples soften slightly and the caramel thickens and bubbles around them.
- Do not stir or move them.
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Ready when: Caramel is thick, bubbling, and has darkened to a rich mahogany; a knife meets slight resistance in the apples
Tip: Lower the heat to medium-low if the caramel darkens too quickly.
7
Cover with pastry
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Lay the chilled pastry round over the apples and tuck the edges down inside the pan, between the apples and the skillet wall, like tucking in a blanket.
- Cut 4 small slits in the center for steam to escape.
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Ready when: Pastry fully covers the apples with the edges tucked in
Tip: Work quickly so the pastry stays cold and puffs well.
8
Bake the tartOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the skillet on the rack in the 400°F (200°C) oven, with the baking sheet below it.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden brown, puffed, and crisp, and the caramel is bubbling thickly at the edges.
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Ready when: Pastry is deep golden brown and crisp; juices bubble around the edges
Tip: If the pastry browns too fast, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
9
Rest before flipping
- Using oven mitts, remove the skillet and set it on a heatproof surface.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes so the caramel thickens slightly but is still fluid.
- Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the pastry.
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Ready when: Caramel stops bubbling but the pan is still hot and fluid
Tip: Do not wait longer than 15 minutes, or the caramel will set and stick to the pan.
10
Flip and serve
- Place a large plate over the skillet.
- Wearing oven mitts and holding both firmly, quickly invert the skillet in one confident motion over the sink, then lift the pan away slowly, tilting it away from you.
- Rearrange any shifted apples and spoon over any caramel left in the pan.
- Serve warm with crème fraîche, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
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Ready when: Tart releases cleanly with a glossy amber apple top
Tip: If apples stick to the pan, lift them off with a spatula and press them back into place; the caramel will hide any gaps.

Good to know

Tips

Pack the apples tightly: they shrink by about a third as they cook, and gaps will leave an uneven tart.
Use a light-colored pan (stainless steel or enameled cast iron) so you can judge the caramel color; dark pans hide it.
Let the caramel go deep amber for the best flavor; pale caramel tastes only sweet, not complex.
If any apples stay behind when you flip, simply press them back onto the tart while hot.

Make ahead

Assemble the tart through step 7 (apples cooked in caramel, pastry on top) up to 4 hours ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, then bake as directed, adding 3–5 minutes. Alternatively, bake completely, leave in the skillet at room temperature for up to 4 hours, and rewarm on the stove over low heat for 2 minutes before flipping.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: loosely covered, up to 8 hours (the pastry is crispest the day it's made). Refrigerator: covered, up to 3 days. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes until warmed through and the pastry re-crisps. Freezer: not recommended, as the apples become watery and the pastry soggy.

Substitutions

firm tart apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) → Firm pears (such as Bosc), quartered. Pears release more juice; cook them 3–5 minutes longer on the stove to thicken the caramel.
all-butter puff pastry sheet → Homemade pâte brisée or a shortcrust pastry round. Gives a sturdier, more traditional crust; bake until deep golden, about 30–35 minutes.
unsalted butter → Salted butter. Omit the added sea salt.
pure vanilla extract → 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Calvados or brandy. Stir it in off the heat after the caramel is done, standing back as it will steam and sputter.