Easy Tarte Tatin Cooks Illustrated Recipes

EASY TARTE TATIN (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Adjust rack to middle position in oven and then heat to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry on the parchment. Bake until golden brown and puffed, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter; press lightly to flatten if domed.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a 12-inch, nonstick skillet over high heat. Remove the pan from heat and spinkle evenly with the sugar. Lay the apples in the skillet. Return to heat. Cook, stirring apples halfway through, until the juices in the pan turn a rich amber color and apples are carmelized, about 15 minutes.
• Remove apples from the pan one at a time. Arrange them in overlapping rows on the pastry square, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spoon about half of the pan juices over the apples.
• Whisk the cream and Grand Marnier (if using) into the remaining juices in the pan. Bring to a simmer. Pour some sauce over the tart just before serving, passing the remaining sauce separately.
• FOR PEAR TATIN: Substitute 2 lbs. pears (about 4) for the apples. You may need to increase the carmelization time to 20-25 minutes. Use Poire William instead of Grand Marnier if using a liquor.
• LIQUOR OPTION FOR APPLES: Cognac. I believe it is a classically French pairing with apple desserts. It's not the Cook's Illustrated version, tho, if you want to use strictly their recipe. I used it in a different tart recipe once, and it was awesome. Thanks to the first reviewer for this idea!

EASY APPLE TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a wide skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Add the apples to the caramel mixture and gently stir together, coating the apples in the caramel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes depending on the size of your apples. Note: If the mixture begins to get too thick, add some water to loosen it up.
• Transfer the apples to a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet and arrange them cut-side up, making sure to evenly cover the bottom of the skillet. Drizzle half the caramel sauce over the apples, then return the caramel to the heat and cook until thick and glossy, another 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Roughly measure and cut the puff pastry sheet to approximately the size of the top of the skillet. Place the puff pastry on top of the apples and gently tuck the sides in ever so slightly. Cut the remaining scraps of puff pastry and evenly spread across the top (this will give the tarte tatin some volume).
• Bake until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, invert a plate on top and quickly (but carefully) flip onto the plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and the remaining caramel sauce.

TARTE TATIN -- EASY VERSION

Steps:

• Mix sugar and melted butter and press evenly into greased 8" or 9" round cake pan.
• Put apples on their sides in rows decoratively around pan, packing closely together and filling small spaces with broken segments of apples.
• Sprinkle tops of apples lightly with cinnamon if desired.
• Bake uncovered at 425F about 1-1 ½ hours.
• If apples start to burn, they can be covered toward the end of the baking time.
• Meanwhile, unfold pastry sheet and cut to fit pan. Use another pan to trace shape if necessary.
• Poke fork holes into both sides of puff pastry sheet to allow air to escape while baking.
• Press pastry on top of baked apples, pushing edges down. Bake another 20 minutes.
• Cool partially, then invert to a platter. Serve warm.

FRENCH-STYLE APPLE TART (TARTE TATIN) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Using a 9-inch (23 cm) flat-sided cake pan as a template, cut a circle out from the puff pastry. Using a fork, poke holes all over to provide ventilation. Set aside.
• Peel and quarter the apples, using a spoon or melon baller to remove the cores.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, distribute the water and sugar evenly and cook until light amber in color, stirring to help melt any lumps, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter, stirring constantly until the color is a creamy light brown. Add the apples, stirring until they are coated in a thick layer of caramel.
• Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning the apples constantly so that they bathe in the caramel. Remove from the heat when the caramel has reduced and little remains in the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the caramel, tasting it from time to time to ensure it does not taste bitter.
• Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles on the bottom of the cake pan. Press the apples tightly against each other, then pour the remaining caramel over the top.
• Lay the circle of puff pastry on top. Tuck the puff pastry down the sides of the pan.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and firm. Cool for about 1 hour, then invert onto a plate.
• Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
• Enjoy!

FOOLPROOF TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• At least one day before you plan to cook the tart, prepare the apples: Slice off the bottom of each apple so it has a flat base. Peel and quarter the apples. Use a small sharp knife to trim the hard cores and seeds from the center of each quarter; don't worry about being too neat. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, lightly covered, for at least one day or up to three days. (This key step reduces the amount of liquid in the tart. Don't worry if the apples turn brown; they will be browned during the cooking anyway.)
• When ready to cook, heat oven to 375 degrees (or 350 if using convection). Thickly coat the bottom of a 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick metal, with butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly on top.
• Cut one piece of apple into a thick round disk and place in the center of the skillet to serve as the "button." Arrange the remaining apple pieces, each one standing on its flat end, in concentric circles around the button. Keep the pieces close together so that they support one another, standing upright. They will look like the petals of a flower.
• On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry about 1/8-inch thick. Place an upside-down bowl or pan on the pastry and use the tip of a sharp knife to cut out a circle about the same size as the top of your skillet. Lift out the circle and drape gently over the apples. Use your hands to tuck the pastry around the apple pieces, hugging them together firmly.
• Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until golden-brown juice begins to bubble around the edges, 3 minutes (if the juices keep rising, spoon out as needed to remain level with pastry). If necessary, raise the heat so that the juices are at a boil. Keep cooking until the juices are turning darker brown and smell caramelized, no longer than 10 minutes more.
• Transfer skillet to the oven and bake 45 to 50 minutes, until puff pastry is browned and firm.
• Let cool 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a round serving plate. (Or, if not serving immediately, let cool completely in the pan; when ready to serve, rewarm for 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven before turning out.) If any apples remain stuck in the pan, gently use your fingers or a spatula to retrieve them, and rearrange on the pastry shell. Cut in wedges and serve warm with heavy cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet, then cover and freeze while preparing the apples.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that's starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
• To assemble the tarte tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.
• Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top - it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
• Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.