Marthas Favorite Tarte Tatin Recipes

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Lightly flour a clean work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out dough into an 11-inch round about 1/8 inch thick, being careful not to press too hard around the edge. Transfer to a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator at least 1 hour.
• In a large bowl, toss apple wedges with lemon juice. Heat a 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; melt butter in pan, and sprinkle sugar in an even layer on top. Remove from heat; arrange apple wedges around bottom of pan in a circular pattern, starting from the edge and working toward the center. Since this layer of apples will be the top of the tart, once inverted, it should be arranged attractively. Once bottom of pan is covered with apples, lay remaining wedges on top, distributing them evenly throughout.
• Place pan over medium-low heat; cook until apples start to soften and their juices are thickened and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pastry round over apples, and press around the edge of pan to fully enclose. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden brown all over and apples are well caramelized, 35 to 40 minutes. If during this time the pastry is browning too much, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack; let tart cool slightly, about 1 hour. When ready to turn out, place pan over medium heat to loosen caramel and apples from the bottom, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; run a sharp knife around the edge, and carefully invert tart onto a large serving plate. Allow pan to sit for 1 minute on top of tart after inverting to allow the apples to completely loosen. Gently lift off pan; replace any apples that may have stuck. Cut into wedges, and serve.

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together flour, salt, and baking powder until well combined. Add butter; mix until well combined. Add yolk, milk, and sugar; mix until fully incorporated. Transfer to refrigerator and let chill for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Turn dough out onto a nonstick baking mat and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Invert a 7 1/2-inch round silicone mold onto dough; using a small sharp knife, trace around the mold. Remove scraps and discard. Transfer baking mat to a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the apples: Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Place apples on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar and transfer to oven. Bake until slightly softened, about 20 minutes.
• Make the caramel: Place sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt, without stirring, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in butter until smooth.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place a 7 3/4-inch round silicone mold on a baking sheet and pour in caramel. Arrange apples vertically around the perimeter of the mold, working towards the center. Transfer to oven and bake until browned and very soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour.
• Place circular piece of dough over mold and invert; serve with creme fraiche.

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, place the flours, sugar and butter. Pulse 5 or 6 times in 1/2-second bursts to break up the butter. Add the shortening, turn on the machine and immediately add the ice water, pulsing 2 or 3 times. The dough should look like a mass of smallish lumps and should just hold together in a mass when a handful is pressed together. If the mixture is too dry, pulse in more water by droplets.
• Turn the dough out onto the work surface and with the heel of your hand, rapidly and roughly push egg-size blobs into a 6-inch smear. Gather the dough into a relatively smooth cake, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Slice the halved apples into 4 lengthwise wedges each, and toss in a large bowl with the lemon juice and zest and 1/2 cup sugar. Drain the apples after macerating 20 minutes.
• In a 9-inch skillet melt the butter over high heat. Stir in the remaining sugar and cook until the syrup bubbles and caramelizes, and turns a brown color. Remove the pan from the heat and arrange a layer of apple slices in a neat pattern on the caramel in the skillet, then arrange the remaining apples neatly on top.
• Return the pan to moderately high heat and cook for about 25 minutes, covering the pan after 10 minutes. Every few minutes press down on the apples and baste them with the exuded juices. When the juices are thick and syrupy, remove the pan from the heat.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle, 3/16-inch thick and 1-inch larger than the top of the pan. Drape the dough over the apples, pressing the edge of the dough between the apples and the inside of the pan. Cut 4 small steam holes on the top of the dough. Bake until the pastry has browned and crisped, about 20 minutes.
• Unmold the tart onto a serving dish (so the pastry is on the bottom), and serve warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, as desired.

MARTHA'S FAVORITE TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Halve and core apples. Set aside one half. Quarter remaining apples and transfer to a large bowl. Squeeze lemon over apple slices and set aside.
• Combine sugar and water in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture begins to thicken and turn amber. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Place reserved apples in center of skillet. Decoratively arrange remaining apple slices, cut side up, in skillet around reserved apples. Continue layering slices until level with top of skillet. Cut any remaining apples into thick slices to fill in gaps. If fruit does not completely fill pan, tart will collapse when inverted.
• Place skillet over low heat and cook until syrup thickens and is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Do not let syrup burn. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• Roll out pate brisee to a 10- to 11-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick; transfer to a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place pate brisee over apples and tuck edges. Transfer skillet to prepared baking sheet; transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 15 to 20 minutes. Loosen pastry from skillet using a sharp knife. Place a rimmed platter over skillet; quickly and carefully invert. Serve immediately.

PEAR TART TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry to an 11 1/2-inch square; using a plate as a guide, cut out an 11-inch round. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, combine sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in butter. Arrange pear wedges in a circle along the edge of skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until pears are crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Drape chilled pastry round over pears, tucking edge under. Place a small oven-safe plate or pot lid on top of pastry; bake 15 minutes. Remove plate; continue to bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let tart cool in skillet, 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of skillet, and carefully invert tart onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

CLASSIC TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll puff pastry into a 10 1/2-inch square. Brush off excess flour. Using a plate as a guide, cut out a 10-inch round. Transfer pastry round to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch skillet with the 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange apple slices closely together in concentric circles in skillet, with rounded sides down. Place over medium-high heat, and cook, without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Line oven rack with foil to catch any juices, and place skillet on foil. Bake for 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly). Remove from oven, and place pastry round over apples. Bake until pastry is dark golden brown, 23 to 28 minutes. Let cool in skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
• Invert tart onto a serving dish. Gently remove any apples that stick to skillet, and place on tart. Serve warm, with creme fraiche.

TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch metal pie plate; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 9-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. Place dough on the prepared baking sheet, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix together the sugar, 2 tablespoons cold water, and the lemon juice to form a thick syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat, swirling pan; cook until the mixture turns medium amber, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and pour the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pie plate. Immediately add the butter, distributing evenly.
• Arrange the apples, rounded sides down, around the bottom of the pan in a circular pattern, starting from the outside and working in, fitting them as close together as possible (the apples will be the top of the tart when served). Drape the chilled dough round over the apples to cover the mixture completely.
• Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with a clean nonstick baking mat. Remove the tart from the oven, and immediately invert onto the mat, working quickly but carefully to avoid contact with the hot caramel. Using tongs, carefully lift the pie plate off of the tart. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with creme fraiche, if using.

APPLE TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Core apples using a melon baller to retain the rounded shape of the apples. Rub apples with sliced lemons to prevent browning. Set aside.
• Over medium heat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook until it turns a rich golden color; swirling occasionally, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, roll puff pastry in one direction out into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8 inch thick. Brush off any excess flour with a pastry brush.
• Add butter to skillet. Once melted, add apples, rounded sides down, fitting as many into the skillet as possible. Remove from heat, and top apples with puff pastry. Fold edges under, and crimp slightly. Make two to three small cuts in puff pastry to allow the steam to escape. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. and bake until pastry is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and let cool about 2 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife. Carefully place a plate over the skillet and flip, inverting the tarte tatin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PLUM TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry into an 18-inch square. Trim into a 13-inch circle and cut a small X in center to vent. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze 20 minutes.
• In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with sugar and salt; place plums, cut side down, in a single, snug layer.
• Return to heat, bring to a rapid simmer, and cook, undisturbed, 7 minutes. Remove from heat and top with pastry. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are thickened, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 10 minutes, then invert onto a platter. Serve warm.