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Tarte Tatin with Shortbread Crust
Serves 8 - 10 Prep 45 min Cook 35 min Total 1 hr 20 min Type Dessert Origin French

Tarte Tatin with Shortbread Crust

A tarte tatin with a shortbread base: caramelised apples turned out over a buttery biscuit crust instead of puff pastry.

Serves 8 Prep 45 minutes Cook 35 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Tarte Tatin is an upside-down caramel apple tart with a crisp pastry lid and soft, glossy apple topping. It is best served warm, turned out onto a serving plate immediately so the caramel remains silky.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 320 grams plain flour
  • 225 grams ice-cold butter
  • 110 grams icing sugar
  • 3 free-range egg yolks

Filling

  • 6 Cox (or 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8-12 wedges)
  • ¼ lemon
  • 110 grams caster sugar
  • 110 grams butter

Method

Make the pastry

  1. Preheat the oven to 250°C.
  2. In a food processor, mix the flour, butter and icing sugar just until they resemble breadcrumbs.
  3. Add the egg yolks and, using the pulse button, mix until it comes together in a dough.
  4. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and divide into two pieces.
  5. Wrap in cling-film and put in the freezer to chill for at least an hour.

Prepare the apples

  1. Place the apple wedges in a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice over them and toss them gently.
  2. Sprinkle 85 grams of the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan and place on the hob over a medium heat, turning the pan frequently and making sure the sugar doesn't burn.
  3. Allow the sugar to caramelise a little and become a pale golden brown, then remove from the heat and arrange the drained apple pieces in one layer over the bottom of the pan.
  4. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the apples have softened a bit and started to release some liquid, about 10 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the remaining sugar and dot the butter on top.

Assemble and bake

  1. Remove the pastry from the freezer and, using the coarse side of a cheese grater, grate the pastry with long steady strokes over the apples until it forms an even layer at least 2 ½ cm thick. Do not press down.
  2. Return to the oven, turn the heat down to 220°C and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for a minute or two.

Turn out the tart

  1. Take a heatproof serving dish that is generously larger than the pan on all sides and place it over the pan.
  2. Protecting your hands with a dry folded tea-towel and holding the dish and pan firmly together, quickly and carefully flip the pan and the dish so that the pan is on top.
  3. Tap the pan sharply a few times all round with a wooden spoon, then lift off.
  4. The tart should be left on the serving dish with the apple on top.

Notes

  • Chill the pastry thoroughly before grating it over the caramelised apples to keep it flaky.
  • Use firm apples such as Cox or Granny Smith so the wedges hold their shape during cooking.
  • Be careful when flipping the hot pan and dish; work confidently and protect your hands.
  • Serve the tart soon after turning out so the caramel remains glossy and not too set.

Serving

Serve the tart warm, ideally on the day it is made, with crème fraîche or softly whipped cream. It is excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Storage

If necessary, cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Reheat gently in a low oven, though tarte tatin is best eaten fresh.

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