This easy tarte tatin recipe is made with just four ingredients: ready-rolled puff pastry, firm eating apples, butter, and golden caster sugar. The Hairy Bikers’ version gives you a golden, caramelised apple tart with crisp, buttery pastry in under 45 minutes. It serves 6 and makes a stunning autumn dessert.
I make this every time we have friends over for dinner. It looks so impressive when you flip it onto the plate, and nobody believes it only took four ingredients.
Easy Tarte Tatin Ingredients
- 75g butter
- 75g golden caster sugar
- 4–5 firm eating apples (such as Braeburn, Cox’s Orange Pippin, or Gala)
- 320g sheet of ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
- Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, to serve
How To Make Easy Tarte Tatin
- Prepare the apples: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Keep the quarters a similar size so they cook evenly.
- Make the caramel: Use a 20–23cm heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan. Place the butter and sugar in the pan and melt together over a medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves.
- Cook to amber: Once dissolved, stop stirring and let the mixture bubble. Swirl the pan occasionally for even cooking. Cook for 5–7 minutes until it turns a rich, deep amber colour.
- Arrange the apples: Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully arrange the apple quarters on top of the caramel, packed tightly on their sides in a neat circular pattern.
- Add the pastry: Unroll the puff pastry and trim it into a circle about 2cm wider than your pan. Place it over the apples and tuck the edges down snugly inside the pan.
- Bake: Prick the pastry a few times with a knife. Bake at 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6) for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is puffed, crisp, and golden brown.
- Flip and serve: Let the tarte stand for one minute only. Place a large flat serving plate over the pan and, using oven gloves, flip quickly and decisively. Serve straight away with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.
What Is the Secret to a Perfect Easy Tarte Tatin?
- Use firm eating apples: Cooking apples like Bramleys will break down into mush. Firm varieties such as Braeburn, Cox’s, or Gala hold their shape in the caramel and give a much better result.
- Choose the right pan: A heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan is essential. It lets you make the caramel on the hob and bake in the oven without transferring. A good cast-iron pan is also perfect for making pineapple upside-down cake.
- Watch the caramel closely: Caramel can go from perfect to burnt in seconds. Stay by the hob and watch it. You are looking for a colour similar to a copper penny.
- Flip with confidence: Turning out the tarte is the most dramatic step. Do it quickly while still very hot. If you wait too long, the caramel sets and the apples stick to the pan.
- Pack the apples tightly: The apples shrink as they cook, so arrange them as close together as possible. Gaps in the fruit layer will show once flipped.
What Should You Serve on the Side?
A scoop of good vanilla ice cream is the classic pairing, melting into the warm caramel and balancing the sweetness perfectly. A generous dollop of crème fraîche also works well, adding a slight tang that cuts through the richness. For a dinner party spread, serve it alongside the Hairy Bikers pavlova to give guests a choice of desserts.
Does This Keep Well as Leftovers?
Tarte tatin is best eaten fresh on the day it is made, while the pastry is still crisp. You can store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat individual slices in the oven at 160°C for about 10 minutes to crisp the pastry again.
Freezing is not recommended. The thawing process ruins the texture of the caramelised apples and makes the puff pastry soft and soggy.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Sugars: 30g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Dietary Fibre: 2g
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you eat tarte tatin hot or cold? Tarte tatin is best served warm, straight from the oven, when the caramel is syrupy and the pastry at its crispest. If it cools, a quick 5 minutes in a warm oven brings it back to life.
How does the Hairy Bikers’ tarte tatin compare to Mary Berry’s? Mary Berry’s tarte tatin uses homemade pastry and a traditional French method with a longer caramelisation. This Hairy Bikers version keeps things simple with ready-rolled puff pastry, making it much quicker for a weeknight dessert.
Can I make tarte tatin ahead of time? You can prepare the caramel and arrange the apples up to a few hours ahead, covered at room temperature. Add the pastry and bake just before serving for the crispest result.
What other fruit works in a tarte tatin? Firm pears, apricots, and plums all work well. For another apple dessert with a different texture, try the Hairy Bikers apple crumble which uses a crunchy oat topping instead of pastry.
Why did my tarte tatin stick to the pan? This happens when the caramel cools too much, so flip within one minute of leaving the oven. If it does stick, gently warm the base of the pan on the hob for 30 seconds to loosen it.
Try More Recipes:
- Hairy Bikers Pavlova Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Apple Crumble Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Treacle Tart Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
Hairy Bikers Easy Tarte Tatin Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6). Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Keep quarters a similar size.
- Make the caramel: In a 20–23cm ovenproof frying pan, melt the butter and sugar over a medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Cook for 5–7 minutes until it forms a deep amber caramel.
- Arrange and top: Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the apple quarters tightly in the caramel. Trim the pastry into a circle about 2cm wider than the pan. Lay it over the apples and tuck the edges down inside the pan. Prick the pastry a few times.
- Bake: Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is puffed, crisp, and golden brown.
- Turn out and serve: Let the tarte stand for one minute. Place a plate on top and carefully flip over. Serve immediately with ice cream or crème fraîche.
