France · French cuisine of the Loire (Sologne)
Tarte Tatin
Apples caramelised in butter and sugar until deep amber and tender, topped with buttery pastry and baked, then turned out so the glossy caramel crowns a crisp golden base: the upside-down apple tart of the Loire.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | France
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
translation Translated from French. Translation by Cookhuddle Editorial. Read the original
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- Servings
- 8
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 40 min
- Resting
- 35 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
Cuisine / tradition: French cuisine of the Loire (Sologne) (FR) — declared by the author
- Dessert
- Baked
Ingredients
For 8 servings
- 200 g plain flour, for the pastry
- 100 g cold butter, diced, for the pastry
- 1 tbsp sugar, for the pastry
- 1/4 tsp salt, for the pastry
- 50 ml very cold water, for the pastry
- 1 1/2 kg firm apples (Reine des Reinettes, Golden), about 8
- 150 g caster sugar, for the caramel
- 100 g butter, in pieces, for the caramel
Method
- Step 1. Make the pastry: rub the flour, sugar, salt and cold butter between your fingertips until like coarse sand. Add the cold water and gather into a dough without kneading. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.⏱ 30 min
- Step 2. Peel the apples, cut them in quarters and remove the cores. Heat the oven to 180 °C.
- Step 3. Put the sugar in a 26 cm ovenproof frying pan or tatin mould over medium heat and let it melt without stirring, swirling the pan, until it becomes a deep amber caramel, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and add the butter in pieces, stirring, until smooth.⏱ 5 min
- Step 4. Pack the apple quarters tightly in the caramel, rounded side down, in a circle with a few in the centre, as they will shrink. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the caramel is thick and the apples have begun to soften.⏱ 15 min
- Step 5. Roll the pastry out to a disc slightly larger than the pan. Lay it over the apples and tuck the edge down inside the pan. Prick the pastry in a few places.
- Step 6. Bake for 35 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.⏱ 35 min
- Step 7. Run a knife around the edge. Place a serving plate over the pan and, wearing oven gloves, turn the tart over in one confident movement. Replace any apple that stays in the pan. Serve warm.⏱ 5 min
Story and cultural note
Tarte Tatin is linked to the sisters Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin, who ran the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, in Sologne, at the end of the 19th century. The popular story of a tart dropped or made upside down by accident is not documented by any contemporary writing, and upside-down caramelised apple tarts were already made in the Sologne before them. The Confrérie des Lichonneux de la Tarte Tatin, which according to one source was dissolved in 2024 and succeeded by the association of the Ambassadeurs de la Tarte Tatin, recommended shortcrust or sablé pastry, local apples such as Reine des Reinettes, and no cinnamon or spices. Some home recipes use puff pastry, which this version does not.
Tips for success
Take the caramel to a deep amber, but no further: bitter caramel spoils the tart. Pack the apples tightly, as they shrink. Use apples that hold their shape. Let the tart rest 5 minutes only before turning it out: too long and the caramel sets, too soon and it runs. Have the serving plate ready and turn the tart in one movement.
Serving and presentation
Serve warm, cut in wedges, plain or with a spoonful of thick crème fraîche. The Confrérie des Lichonneux served it without cream or ice cream, to let the apples and caramel speak.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietVegetarianEgg-freeNut-free
ContainsGluten (cereals)Milk
