Tarte Tatin

Recipe courtesy Julia Child, Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom, Alfred A. Knopf, 2000

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Tribute to Julia Child

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (4)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(4)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
--
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 2 hr 30 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 2 hr 55 min

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Ingredients

For the Tart Dough:

3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons chilled butter, diced
2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
1/4 cup ice water, or as needed

For the Tart Tatin:

6 Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled and halved
1 lemon, zested and juiced
11/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, as accompaniment

Directions

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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Tarte Tatin
Elizabeth Atlanta, GA 04-05-2009
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Great flavor, some tweaks for texture
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is a great recipe, very similar to a tarte tatin that I order at French restaurant I love. Use apples that are very... similar in size, and slice them all consistently. The apples were a little mushy; next time I'll reduce their cooking time from 25 to 15 minutes. Also, I believe that baking information was left out of this recipe. I referenced my Julia Child book, and baked the tart for 25 or 30 minutes in a 375-degree oven. Was it assumed that it was to be baked at 350? Surely she didn't mean to "bake" it by covering it and leaving it on the stove? Anyway, it was great after 25 minutes in the oven. The caramel flavor was fantastic, as was the pastry. Read more
recipe Tarte Tatin
MIKE los angeles, CA 12-11-2007
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julia still rules
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is the only recipe that tells you to do what is obvious after you know - baste the apples with the caramel while they... are cooking so you get even colouration and well caramelized apples (and will some of you, including some professionals, PLEASE stop calling caramel "carmel"). She also is the only one on here who includes the addition of lemon zest - another obvious improvement. I thought of it, why couldn't they.Read more
recipe Tarte Tatin
Erica Tarzana, CA 03-11-2006
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Too tart Tart Tatin
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

This was a clear, easy to use recipe. However, I used 6 very large granny smith apples and it was not even enough to pack... the apples in tightly let alone more to put on top. The apples became a bit mushy well before the time given in the recipe so I cut it short. Those issues I can live with, no big deal. But when we went to eat it the lemon flavor from the juice and zest was way too dominant. It tasted more like a lemon tart than an apple tart. I will look for a different recipe, or cut the lemon by half next time.Read more
recipe Tarte Tatin
CHRISTOPHER wrightsville beach, NC 07-30-2005
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just perfectly julia :)
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

just the right flavors.. simple and easy.. thank you julia for all that you gave to our pallates!!!! this is very delicious... and juicy!!Read more