The legendary story of the Tarte Tatin
Did you know that there is an incredible story behind the Tarte Tatin? It was supposedly invented by a mishap of the Tatin sisters, who turned an apple pie upside down at their hotel. But instead of despairing, they simply served the cake upside down and the guests loved it. Today we take you on a culinary journey of discovery and explain step by step how you can bake a heavenly Tarte Tatin at home.
The ingredients: Simplicity that enchants
The list of ingredients is manageable, which makes the Tarte Tatin a perfect recipe for beginners:
- 1 kg of apples
- 150g sugar
- 80g butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pack of puff pastry
- And of course a little attention to detail
Preparation: Peel and core the apples
Before you start baking, you need to prepare the apples. Peel them thoroughly and remove the core. It's important that you use firm apples for the tarte tatin, as you don't want them to fall apart during baking. Then cut the apples into quarters.
Make caramel: Melt sugar and butter to gold
Caramelize the sugar in a large, ovenproof pan. Add the sugar to the pan with a little water and let it melt over medium heat. Don't stir! Once the sugar is golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and a pinch of salt. Be careful, it can splash! Now stir gently until the butter has completely dissolved.
Caramelize apples: the magic begins
Now it's time to get down to business! Place the apple slices cut-side down in the pan. Let them caramelize over medium heat until they turn a nice golden color. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
The puff pastry: the icing on the cake
While the apples are sizzling, you can prepare the puff pastry. Roll it out and cut out a circle slightly larger than your pan. Then cover the apples in the pan with the batter, tuck in the edges all the way around and poke a few small holes in the batter to allow steam to escape while baking.
Baking: Patience is a virtue
Now the tart has to go into the oven preheated to 200°C. Bake them for about 25-30 minutes until the dough has risen nicely and is golden brown. Then let the tarte tatin cool down for about 10 minutes before you get to the fun part: turning it over!
Falling: Now it's getting exciting
Place a large plate upside down on the pan and quickly but carefully invert the tart onto it. If a few pieces of apple got stuck in the pan, you can simply put them back on the tart.
Enjoy: The best part
Now the time has come: You can serve and enjoy the Tarte Tatin! It tastes best when still warm, possibly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.