Don't miss new property show, Phil Spencer Secret Agent, only on LifeStyle this month.
Tarte tatin is an absolute classic, created in 1889 at a French hotel run by the sisters Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin. This spectacular upside-down tart is rumoured to have been created accidentally by Caroline when she was making an apple pie. Finding that the pan of apples cooking in butter and sugar were beginning to burn, she quickly covered them with pastry and placed the whole thing in the oven. Turning it out once the pasty was cooked, she found to her surprise that the tart was a huge success with the guests. It then became the signature dish of the hotel. Tarte tatin can be made with other fruits such as pears (as in the variation below), pineapple and stone fruit such as peaches (still firm), or even as a savoury dish with onions, shallots or tomatoes.
Variation
Pear and ginger tarte tatin: Use 4–5 pears of medium ripeness instead of the apples and add 1 teaspoon of grated root ginger in with the butter.
Rachel’s baking tips
Try adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the pastry.
* You can also make this with puff or sweet shortcrust pastry
* If you wish, use golden caster or granulated sugar, but it is a little trickier to see when it is caramelised, so keep watching the pan. The mixture will go a shade darker than the original golden colour and should take about 5 minutes in total over a medium–high heat. If it burns, I would suggest cutting your losses and starting again!
Simply enter your email address below and we'll email it to you.
%2c+pineapple+and+stone+fruit+such+as+peaches+(still+firm)%2c+or+even+as+a+savoury+dish+with+onions%2c+shallots+or+tomatoes.){kind=link}
I've made this twice now. The first time was an unexpected success - 7 different people said they really liked it. However, it didn't have the same dark colouring as the image here. The second time I made it, I achieved very similar colouring to this image, but it tasted very different, almost like the sugar had burned. Being a novice, I'm uncertain if it is supposed to have a slight burnt taste. Can anyone comment?
This is another recipe that doesn't deserve to have so many versions as I think it it has passed stroganoff in variations. Can't we please, please stick to the original recipe. The tatin sisters must be rolling in their grave. Australians why do you do this????
This is a great recipe. I made it with pears without ginger as I don't like ginger in sweets and it was still delicious and looked spectacular. Everyone at work wondered what it was when I was having a slice of it with tea. So now I am making one for the staffroom! Thank you!
Sour Cream Short Crust Pastry
200g plain flour 100g chilled cubed butter pinch salt *rub together with fingertips 1 tbs. sour cream *wooden spoon stir together *place in glad wrap/cling film turn upside down *roll gently into disc shape *put in fridge for 15 minutes
Here's the link to see Rachael Allen making it: http://uktv.co.uk/food/video/aid/607552/cst/Home%7CUKTV%20Food/Recipes/sb/relevance/q/
I saw this on foxtel last night and am having the same trouble re getting the pastry recipe. It was something like 200g plain flour, 100g cold cubed butter, large dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of salt, no sugar since the apples are cooked in sugar. Then mix it all together with your finger tips.
But I can't remember if there was anything else really important like baking soda... so I'm stuck too.
Then she wrapped the crumbly mixture in gladwrap, pushed it gently into a disc shape, put it in the fridge for 15-30 minutes while she cooked the apples. Then took out the sour cream short crust pastry and rolled it as described above.
Hmmmm, what to do. Might TRY it without baking soda.
I cannot find the recipe to sour creamed shot crust pastry which makes it impossible to make this recipe. TS
A sheet of ready made frozen puff pastry works just as well and no one will ever know :)