This easy Hairy Bikers Tarte Tatin is made with just four main ingredients: ready-rolled puff pastry, firm apples, butter, and golden caster sugar. This recipe creates a spectacular dessert with sweet, tender caramelized apples glistening under a crisp, buttery puff pastry crust. It’s perfect for an impressive dinner party dessert, especially during the late summer and autumn months, and serves 6 people beautifully.
Hairy Bikers Easy Tarte Tatin Recipe Ingredients
- 75g (3oz) butter
- 75g (3oz) 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 Hairy Bikers Easy Tarte Tatin
- Prepare the apples: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Make sure the quarters are all a similar size so they cook evenly.
- Make the caramel: You will need a 20-23cm (8-9in) heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan. Place the butter and sugar in the pan and melt them together over a medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar has dissolved.
- Caramelize the mixture: Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and let the mixture bubble away. Swirl the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the mixture turns into a rich, deep amber-coloured caramel.
- Arrange the apples: Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully arrange the apple quarters in the pan on top of the caramel. Pack them in tightly, placing them on their sides in a neat circular pattern.
- Add the pastry: Unroll your sheet of puff pastry. Trim it into a circle that is about 2cm (¾in) wider than your pan. Place the pastry circle over the apples and tuck the edges down snugly inside the pan, all the way around the apples.
- Bake the tarte: Prick the top of the pastry a few times with a knife to allow steam to escape. Place the pan in a preheated oven at 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas 6) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up, crisp, and golden-brown.
- Turn out and serve: Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Let it stand for just one minute—no longer. Place a large, flat serving plate over the top of the pan. Using oven gloves, confidently and quickly flip the pan and plate over. The tarte should drop onto the plate. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.
Recipe Tips
- Use the right apples: It is essential to use firm eating apples. Cooking apples like Bramleys will break down into a mush, while firm apples like Braeburn or Gala will hold their shape beautifully in the caramel.
- Choose the correct pan: A heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan is key for this recipe. It allows you to make the caramel and bake the tarte all in one pan, and its heavy base helps the caramel cook evenly without burning.
- Watch the caramel carefully: Caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Stay by the hob and watch it closely. 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 and decisively while the tarte is still very hot. If you wait too long, the caramel will cool and set in the pan, and the apples will stick.
What To Serve With Easy Tarte Tatin
This classic French dessert is delicious served warm, straight from the oven. For the perfect pairing, add a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream, which will melt beautifully into the warm caramel sauce. A dollop of tangy crème fraîche also works wonderfully, as it cuts through the sweetness of the caramelized apples.
How To Store Easy Tarte Tatin Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Tarte Tatin is definitely best eaten fresh on the day it’s made, while the pastry is still crisp. However, you can store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat individual slices in a moderate oven for about 10 minutes to help crisp up the pastry again.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended for this dessert. The freezing and thawing process would ruin the texture of the caramelized apples and make the puff pastry soft and soggy.
Hairy Bikers Easy Tarte Tatin Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: Approx. 400-450 kcal
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Sugars: 30g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Carbohydrates: 45g
Frequently Asked Questions
- My caramel crystallized and went hard. What did I do wrong? Caramel can crystallize if you stir it too much after the sugar has dissolved, or if any impurities get into the pan. To prevent this, stir only until the sugar has melted, then switch to gently swirling the pan. Make sure your pan is clean before you start.
- Can I use a different fruit? Yes, this recipe also works very well with firm pears. Peel, halve, and core them before arranging them in the pan. You could also try it with apricots or plums when they are in season, though they may need less cooking time.
- What if I don’t have an ovenproof frying pan? If you don’t have a pan that can go from the hob to the oven, you can make the caramel and arrange the apples in a standard frying pan, then carefully transfer the hot apples and caramel to a round cake tin of a similar size before topping with the pastry and baking.
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Hairy Bikers Easy Tarte Tatin Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C Fan. Peel, core, and quarter the apples.
- Make caramel: In a 20-23cm ovenproof frying pan, melt the butter and sugar. Stop stirring once the sugar dissolves and cook until it forms a deep amber caramel.
- Assemble: Remove the pan from the heat and arrange the apple quarters tightly in the caramel. Trim the pastry into a circle slightly larger than the pan, lay it over the apples, and tuck in the edges.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.
- Serve: Let the tarte stand for one minute, then place a plate on top and carefully flip it over. Serve immediately with ice cream or crème fraîche
