Tarte Tatin — Upside Down
A French classic reimagined: tender, caramelized apples baked upside down under a golden, flaky crust. Simple elegance in every bite.
30 min active, minimal dishes
Tarte Tatin — Upside Down
A French classic reimagined: tender, caramelized apples baked upside down under a golden, flaky crust. Simple elegance in every bite.
30 min active, minimal dishes
Key move
Achieve a deep amber caramel before adding the apples, as this is the foundation of the tart's flavor.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Oven-Safe Skillet9-inch
- Rolling Pin
The Mise en Place
4Your prep station before cooking begins
The Pantry (0/1)
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Caramel is burning.
Reduce the heat and continue stirring constantly. If it's too burnt, start over.
Apples are not softening.
Cook them longer over medium heat, ensuring they are surrounded by the caramel.
Chef's Notes
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before lining the tart tin to prevent shrinkage during baking.
Use firm apples like Honeycrisp or Gala. Softer apples will turn to mush when cooked.
Ensure the caramel is a deep amber color before adding apples for the best flavor and to avoid a burnt taste.
Serve warm with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
The Method
PREHEAT
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Uneven baking: Placing the rack too high or low will cause the pastry to burn or remain soggy.
Oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
MELT
In a 9-inch oven-safe skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Butter burning: Do not let the butter brown or smell nutty at this stage; it should remain pale yellow.
Butter is fully melted and shimmering in the skillet.
ADD
Time-sensitiveAdd sugar to the melted butter and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns into a deep amber caramel.
Caramel crystallization: Avoid splashing sugar onto the sides of the skillet, as this can cause the caramel to crystallize.
Burnt sugar: Caramel can go from perfect to bitter and burnt in seconds. Remove from heat immediately if it smokes.
Sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned into a deep amber caramel.
ARRANGE
Arrange the apple quarters tightly in the caramel, rounded side down.
Loose arrangement: Gaps will cause the apples to shrink and shift during baking, ruining the final presentation.
Apple quarters are tightly arranged in the caramel, rounded side down.
COOK
Cook the apples (6 medium) over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until they are slightly softened and have released some of their juices.
Overcooking: Do not let apples turn into mush; they need to hold their shape for the final bake.
Apples are softened and have released some juices into the caramel.
COVER
Roll out the puff pastry (1 sheet) slightly larger than the skillet. Place the pastry over the apples (6 medium), tucking the edges down inside the skillet.
Tearing the pastry: Forcing the edges too deep can puncture the dough, causing steam to escape unevenly.
Puff pastry covers the apples and its edges are tucked into the skillet.
BAKE
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
Undercooked bottom: Ensure the pastry is fully puffed and golden; a soggy bottom will cause the tart to collapse during inversion.
Pastry is golden brown and puffed.
COOL
Time-sensitiveLet the tart cool in the skillet for 5-10 minutes.
Sticking: Do not wait too long to invert, or the caramel will set rock-hard and stick to the skillet.
Tart has cooled in the skillet for 5-10 minutes.
INVERT
Time-sensitiveCarefully invert the tart onto a serving plate. Be cautious, as the caramel will be very hot.
Hot caramel splatter: The caramel is extremely hot and can cause severe burns if it splashes during the flip.
Tart has been successfully inverted onto a serving plate.
SERVE
Serve warm, optionally with a dollop of crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
Soggy pastry risk: Do not let the tart sit too long before serving, as the caramel will soften the crisp pastry.
Tart is ready to be served.
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