Waitrose and Partners
The best apple tarte Tatin

The best apple tarte Tatin

Thick, sticky caramel, with a flavour dancing between bitter and sweet, rich with vanilla, shrouding tender pieces of apple and crisp buttery pastry. Martha Collison's Tatin is a delight.

0 out of 5 stars(0) Rate this recipe
Vegetarian
  • Serves6
  • CourseDessert
  • Prepare20 mins
  • Cook30 mins
  • Total time50 mins
  • Pluscooling

Please note, we take every care to ensure the product, allergen and recipe information displayed is correct. However, should a product be unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution provided. If you have an allergy or intolerance, please always check the product label before use.

Ingredients

  • 5 braeburn apples
  • 320g Cooks' Ingredients All Butter Puff Pastry
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 75g butter
  • 2 tbsp brandy
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • ½ tsp sea salt, flakes or fine
  • 1 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Egg, beaten
  • Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC, gas mark 7. Peel the apples, cut into quarters and remove the cores. Set aside while you prepare the caramel (don’t worry if they brown a little, this won’t affect the final result).

  2. Choose a medium-sized, ovenproof frying pan or cast-iron skillet, around 23cm in diameter. Unroll the puff pastry sheet and cut a circle the same size as the top of your pan (roll it a little wider first, if needed). Place the pastry disc into the fridge to chill.

  3. Heat the pan over a medium heat, then sprinkle in the sugar. Allow to melt in one even layer – use a heatproof spatula to carefully move the sugar around to make sure it caramelises evenly. Once liquid, allow the caramel to turn a deep amber colour.

  4. Carefully add the butter to the caramel – it will splutter and spit – then mix quickly to combine. Once incorporated, add the brandy and vinegar. Cook, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds more, then remove from the heat.

  5. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add to the caramel with the sea salt. Stir well, then carefully tip the apple quarters into the caramel and mix well to coat each piece. Move the central apples to one side and lay the empty vanilla pod on the bottom of the pan, then move the apples in a concentric pattern to cover it.

  6. Lay the chilled pastry disc over the top of the apples and, using the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula, tuck it down around the apples at the edges of the pan. Working quickly, brush the pastry with beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, make a small slit in the centre of the pastry to allow steam to escape.

  7. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 200ºC, gas mark 6 and bake for 15 minutes more, rotating the pan to ensure an even bake.

  8. When the tart is ready, the pastry should be a deep golden colour, and the caramel bubbling up around the sides. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then place a serving plate over the top and flip out the tarte Tatin. Serve warm with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, if liked.

Cook’s tip

How to peel apples
It feels silly to give a tip on how to peel an apple, but following this method saved me from hacking at them with my peeler. Peel a ring from the top and bottom first, then go around the circumference, peeling vertically.

Other fruits
Apple is the classic, but other fruits will also create a delicious tart. Try pears or apricots when in season. Steer clear of anything too juicy (oranges, berries) as they disrupt the balance by creating too much moisture.

Apple variety
I experimented with several different varieties of apple while testing this recipe, and it amazed me how different the results were – some turn to mush while others don’t become soft enough. Braeburns are ideal, as they have gentle acidity and retain their structure, while absorbing the caramel. Pink ladies also work well if you prefer a tart with a bit more tang.

Nutritional

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe

Energy

1,973kJ/ 472kcals

Fat

25g

Saturated Fat

16g

Carbohydrates

54g

Sugars

35g

Fibre

1.7g

Protein

5.1g

Salt

0.9g

Book a slot to see product availability at your nearest Waitrose & Partners store

Rating details

Rate this recipe

Select your rating

0 out of 5 stars

Overall rating

No ratings for this recipe yet