Tart Tatin
Tart Tatin may be my favorite of all desserts. Fruit, caramel, buttery pastry, and add ice cream and it’s all the things I love in a dessert. I learned it the traditional way at my French culinary school, but over the years have updated it to less traditional and much easier version that I think is even better. In France it is made with puff pastry and apples cooked and baked in a cast iron pan. I make it all in a cake pan and substitute a cream cheese dough inspired by Charlie Trotter. I like the texture this dough adds and makes the recipe quick and easy. We always have this for Thanksgiving, in place of apple pie.
INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
8 oz ( 1 pack ) cream cheese , cubed
8 oz ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold , cubed
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
Tart:
4-5 apples, depending on size-choose a crisp variety such as pink lady or honeycrisp
2 cups sugar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lemon
Vanilla Ice cream (recommended for serving with tart)
EQUIPMENT
measuring spoons and cups
stand or hand mixer
rolling pin
peeler
knife and cutting board
medium size pot
9”- 10” cake pan
sheet pan
platter bigger than tart to flip it onto
SERVING: 8-12
TIME: Dough: 1 hour Tart: 1 hour Cooling 1 hour, minimum ( can be baked up to a day in advance( see below)
TO MAKE DOUGH:
Combine the flour, and cubed cold butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Using the paddle mix at low-medium speed until the dough just comes together. You will still see streaks of butter and cream cheese.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 days.
TO MAKE TART:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees convection / 400 degrees standard
On a floured surface, roll dough into a large circle. It should be about 1/4” thick. Carefully transfer to a sheet pan and chill until ready to use
Peel and core apples. Slice into eight,for medium sized apples, and twelfths for larger apples and arrange in an attractive circle in the pan-the insides facing up. The apples will shrink so use plenty, and arrange tightly.
Place a medium sized saucepan on the stove. Add the sugar, ½ cup water and a squeeze of lemon juice, being careful not to splash the sides. Cook over high heat until caramel colored. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter until it is completely melted. Carefully pour the caramel over the apples. Place the cake pan on a sheet pan ( so it doesn’t leak onto your oven) and bake for 10 minutes until caramel is bubbling. Remove from the oven.
Place the pastry over the apples and press the edges down leaving several inches of overhang. Trim excess.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until dough is browned and cooked through.
Let rest for at least 1 hour so the apples absorb the juices. If you are serving it right away, run knife around the edge and carefully flip it onto a platter. If you are serving later or the next day, warm in the oven for 5-10 minutes BEFORE you flip it from the pan. Let the pan rest on top for about 5 minutes before you remove it so all of the caramel and juices release.
Serve warm or room temperature, with vanilla ice cream.
