Tarte Tatin

This tarte tatin recipe will have your tastebuds bursting with delight. The tartness of the apples and the crispy, light, short-crust pastry, make this tart a welcome addition to any dinner party table.

It is easy to prepare and lasts well. Normally, pastry tends to go soft over time. The creme fraiche addition to the pastry mix here helps this tart to maintain its crumbly, crispy texture.

Tarte tatin

Serves 8

115g / 4oz unsalted butter, softened

1 tbsp unrefined caster sugar

1.3kg / 3lb firm, tart apples (Cox, Braeburn, Kanzi), peeled, cored and sliced in half

Juice of 1 lemon

For the pastry

225g / 8oz plain flour

1 tbsp unrefined caster sugar

130g / 4½oz butter, diced

2-3 tbsp full fat creme fraiche

How to prepare Tarte Tatin

For the pastry

Ensure the butter is softened, add the sugar and combine with a whisk/beater on slow. Gradually add the flour and mix until the pastry forms into breadcrumbs. Add the creme fraiche one spoon at a time. You want enough creme fraiche to form a softish dough.

Make the pastry into a ball, cover with clingfilm and leave to chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Cooking the apples

Melt the butter in an oven-proof frying pan with a base size of approximately 23.5 cm. Sprinkle over the sugar and place the apples on top of the sugar and butter mixture, rounded sides down.

Sprinkle with lemon juice and with the lid off cook over a medium high heat, shaking the pan occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes until the apples are beginning to caramelise. If there is a lot of juice, allow to cook for a little longer to reduce the liquid.

You can see from the small image of the cooked apples in the pan that there should be some liquid in the bottom before you place the pastry over the top.

Baking the tarte tatin

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until the pastry measures slightly larger than the circumference of the frying pan lid. Use the rolling pin to help lift the pastry off the rolling surface and lay it on top of the apples in the frying pan. Use your fingers or a soft spatula to tuck the edges of the pastry down around the inside edge of the pan. Don’t worry if some parts are chunkier or deeper than others. It helps to give a rustic and wholesome effect when the tarte tatin is tipped the right way up after cooking.

Prick the pastry with a fork several times and place inside the oven for approximately 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

To turn the tarte tatin out onto a serving dish or plate, place the dish or plate over the top of the pan (ideally wear oven gloves for this) and hold the dish or plate against the pan firmly. In one fell-swoop, turn the pan over and the tarte tatin will transfer to the serving dish.

(If you find that some of the apples have stuck to the bottom of the frying pan it might be that the apples were cooked on too high a heat on the hob, or that too much of the liquid was cooked off before placing in the oven).

Serve with creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt and a sprig or two of fresh mint.

Can be served warm or chilled. This tarte tatin recipe reheats very well.