Apple Tarte Tatin

The Tarte Tatin is a classic of French patisserie, but why not add an Italian touch?

Ingredients

• 5-6 apples, preferably of a type that holds its shape after cooking, such as Golden Delicious or Granny Smith
• 100g of granulated sugar
• 80g of butter
• 1 ready-made or homemade shortcrust pastry (puff pastry)
• Lemon juice
• Cinnamon (optional, for a spiced variant)

Preparation

1. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into quarters. Spritz with some lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
2. In an ovenproof skillet, melt the butter and sugar over medium heat until you get a golden caramel. It’s important not to burn the caramel, so keep an eye on it.
3. Place the apple quarters in the pan with the cut side up, close to each other. If you like, sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon.
4. Cook the apples on the stove until they start to soften, for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
6. Cover the apples with the shortcrust pastry, tucking the edges of the pastry inside the pan.
7. Prick the pastry lightly in a few places to allow steam to escape.
8. Bake the Tarte Tatin for about 25-30 minutes or until the pastry looks golden and crispy.
9. Allow the tarte to cool for a few minutes after removing it from the oven, then flip it onto a serving plate with a quick and confident movement.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Did you know?

Legend has it that the Tarte Tatin was created by mistake by the Tatin sisters, who ran a hotel in the Sologne region of France. One of the sisters allegedly forgot to put the pastry in the pan before the apples and caramel, so she decided to place the pastry over the apples and cook everything together, serving it upside down.

To maintain that Italian touch that we love so much, you might use a typical Italian apple variety like Annurca or Renetta. Or, serve the tarte with a scoop of fiordilatte gelato or a touch of mascarpone on the side to enrich it with Italian creaminess.