Tarte Tatin or the upside down tarte.
Tarte Tatin is a French dessert, with lots of butter, caramel and a beautiful pastry. It is cooked with the pastry on top, not underneath like a usual tarte. After cooling down a little, it is turned upside down on a serving plate.
Until now, mine resembled a gooey gathering of fruits and caramel. I must say, since I tried this tip maybe three-month ago, I have found a new “Waho” dessert that is simple to make. I know, some will say, I always say so (which is not true!)… Try, this will become your dinner party dessert. And you know what: it is not a chocolate – even though we love it – recipe!
So, what results do you get?
I made the same recipe with apple and with pears. For the later, make sure they are not too soft. By now at least two to three-time each. The last one was a large size one on Monday. Yes a week day! I have taken a few photos. I realise the best apple tarte Tatin were not photographed. Check out the fruits sitting! I can’t believe it every time I unmold one these days.
And what is that tip?
A classic tarte Tatin recipe will call for you to either cook the fruits with butter and sugar in a thick based frypan and somehow avoid a puree or place the uncooked fruits directly in the baking tin and pray that they be cooked by the time the pastry is ready. I never fancied either techniques (I guess you got that by now).
The tip comes from Christophe Michalak, a French pastry chef very followed at the moment. To be frank, he is a Master Patissier. I made some of his recipes (I made this amazing strawberry tarte of his a couple weeks ago for a birthday, delicious!!) and they are pretty good and very practical. All are not necessarily that easy.
Ok, the tip! Let us come back to our topic. All right, swap the frypan for a good size saucepan. Butter, sugar, vanilla and peeled quartered fruits all get in and relax in there for a bit in their little jacuzzi until they are soft. That is the tip! No pureed fruits! Plenty space for them to move and cook slowly without coming to pieces. You are left with an interesting juice, which can be used for another Tatin or something else. I have one on the corner of the stove right now and am getting ideas…
Back to our tarte Tatin again. Then, you place the fruits over a caramel (you didn’t think you are going to stay idle all that time, did you?) you have previously covered the base and side of the metal tin with. Your job there is to ensure the pieces are fruits are cosy side by side. Then the pastry comes on top, and all is sent for a little bit more warmth in Mr Oven for a little bit.
Conclusion: You will never fail your tarte Tatin again!
If you want the recipe, click HERE.
