Hamdi Saidani This delicious Julia Child Tarte Tatin is a simple yet impressive dessert. With its warm, caramelized apples and buttery, flaky pastry, it’s the perfect treat to impress guests or enjoy at home. Plus, it’s easy to make using common ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen!
Ingredients Needed
Flaky Pastry:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Apple Filling:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 stick plus
- 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 pounds apples (about 8-10 apples, such as Golden Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold, or Northern Spy), peeled, halved, and cored
How To Make Tarte Tatin
- Make the Flaky Pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter and pulse for about 8 seconds until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water and pulse until the dough starts to come together like wet sand. Transfer the dough to a work surface and gently knead it until it sticks together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Roll the Dough: Once chilled, roll the dough out on a floured surface into an 11 1/2-inch round. Place it on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the Apple Filling: In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, spread the sugar evenly over the bottom. Add the butter slices and drizzle the vanilla extract over them. Arrange the apple halves in two tightly packed circles in the skillet. Cook the apples over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting regularly, until the syrup thickens and turns a golden color.
- Bake the Apples: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the skillet on a baking sheet and bake the apples for 15 minutes until the syrup is bubbling.
- Assemble the Tarte: Once the apples are baked, remove the skillet from the oven. Place the chilled dough over the apples, pressing the edges inside the skillet. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the juices are bubbling.
- Invert the Tarte: After baking, remove the tart from the oven and quickly invert it onto a platter while it’s still hot. Let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your delicious Tarte Tatin!
Recipe Tips
- Use a cast-iron skillet: A cast-iron skillet helps distribute heat evenly and allows the sugar to caramelize beautifully, giving your Tarte Tatin a perfect golden color.
- Choose firm apples: Apples like Golden Delicious or Fuji hold their shape well when cooked, so they won’t turn mushy in the filling.
- Chill the dough well: Make sure the dough is cold before rolling it out. This helps it stay flaky and prevents it from shrinking while baking.
- Don’t skip basting: Baste the apples regularly during cooking to ensure they cook evenly and absorb all the caramelized syrup flavor.
- Invert quickly: Once the tart is baked, quickly invert it onto a plate while it’s still hot to ensure the apples stay intact and the caramel doesn’t stick to the pan.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover Tarte Tatin in the fridge. Keep it covered with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap leftover Tarte Tatin tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, let it thaw in the fridge for a few hours or at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
More Julia Child Recipes:
Julia Child Tarte Tatin
Description
This delicious Julia Child Tarte Tatin is a simple yet impressive dessert. With its warm, caramelized apples and buttery, flaky pastry, it’s the perfect treat to impress guests or enjoy at home. Plus, it’s easy to make using common ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen!
Ingredients
Flaky Pastry:
Apple Filling:
Instructions
- Make the Flaky Pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter and pulse for about 8 seconds until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water and pulse until the dough starts to come together like wet sand. Transfer the dough to a work surface and gently knead it until it sticks together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- Roll the Dough: Once chilled, roll the dough out on a floured surface into an 11 1/2-inch round. Place it on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the Apple Filling: In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, spread the sugar evenly over the bottom. Add the butter slices and drizzle the vanilla extract over them. Arrange the apple halves in two tightly packed circles in the skillet. Cook the apples over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting regularly, until the syrup thickens and turns a golden color.
- Bake the Apples: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the skillet on a baking sheet and bake the apples for 15 minutes until the syrup is bubbling.
- Assemble the Tarte: Once the apples are baked, remove the skillet from the oven. Place the chilled dough over the apples, pressing the edges inside the skillet. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the juices are bubbling.
- Invert the Tarte: After baking, remove the tart from the oven and quickly invert it onto a platter while it’s still hot. Let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your delicious Tarte Tatin!
Notes
- Use a cast-iron skillet: A cast-iron skillet helps distribute heat evenly and allows the sugar to caramelize beautifully, giving your Tarte Tatin a perfect golden color.
- Choose firm apples: Apples like Golden Delicious or Fuji hold their shape well when cooked, so they won’t turn mushy in the filling.
- Chill the dough well: Make sure the dough is cold before rolling it out. This helps it stay flaky and prevents it from shrinking while baking.
- Don’t skip basting: Baste the apples regularly during cooking to ensure they cook evenly and absorb all the caramelized syrup flavor.
- Invert quickly: Once the tart is baked, quickly invert it onto a plate while it’s still hot to ensure the apples stay intact and the caramel doesn’t stick to the pan.
Julia Child Tarte Tatin
