Recipe: Tarte Tatin
Page: 265
Date Cooked: October 26, 2011
Recently, I went apple picking at a local farm in Central PA. Of course I went a little crazy and picked more apples than a single person would ever need. Accordingly, apple recipes ensued. So when I came across the apple recipe in "A Great American Cook," I knew it was the perfect time to make it.
I peeled and cored the apples, and then cut them in half (from the stem to the bottom end). Jonathan Waxman also suggests trimming the apple bottoms so that they stand up - but I found that it wasn't necessary to do this and that the apples stood up regardless (see picture later). I also combined the sugar and butter in the skillet and cooked it until the mixture became a light caramel color.
Once the caramel-butter sauce was ready, I began adding the apples by lining them up around the perimeter of the pan. I continued making concentric circle until all the apples were used up. I then allowed the apples to cook for a few minutes.
In the meantime, I rolled out the puff pastry. Earlier, I traced the circumference of the cast-iron skillet onto a piece of parchment paper. Accordingly, I used this as a guide to cut out a round of the puff pastry; keeping a little extra for some overlap. Finally, I picked the pastry all over with a fork and placed it in the fridge for a few minutes.
I then set the pastry over the apple-filled skillet and placed it in the oven to bake. I knew the tart was ready once the pastry turned a deep golden brown.
Now to the hardest part...inverting the skillet. As you might know, a cast iron skillet is incredibly heavy, almost 8 pounds. So the idea of flipping the tart over onto a plate was incredibly daunting. Luckily, I had some help. But even figuring out the logistics of how best to accomplish the flip was quite humorous. Anywho...the tart was flipped onto a large platter and the skillet sat on the platter for a few minutes before lifting it off. And though the apples slid to one side a little bit, the pattern was still evident.
Finally, it was ready to eat. I cut slices of the tart and served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (JW also suggests serving it with créme fraîche).
I think the Tarte Tatin was delicious. Jonathan Waxman mentions that he "[struggled] to make a tart that wasn't too sweet or too heavy." And I think he accomplished it beautifully. And the recipe itself required little work. Like I mentioned earlier, the hardest part was inverting an eight pound cast iron skillet.
However, I have to make mention of the Quick Puff Pastry. The last time I reviewed the quick puff pastry was for the Chocolate Espresso Tart recipe and I didn't have very nice words to say about it. I mentioned it being too thick and difficult to eat. This time around, I didn't have that problem at all! And the funny part is I was aware that the puff pastry would be different this time around as I was making it. I was more in tune with getting the initial soft dough texture. Furthermore, I worked quickly with butter and easily got that brick shape. I guess I owe the puff pastry recipe an apology.
Overall, I think the Tarte Tatin was quite delicious and I definitely think I would make it again. However, I may experiment with a lighter skillet the next time around.
Page: 265
Date Cooked: October 26, 2011
Recently, I went apple picking at a local farm in Central PA. Of course I went a little crazy and picked more apples than a single person would ever need. Accordingly, apple recipes ensued. So when I came across the apple recipe in "A Great American Cook," I knew it was the perfect time to make it.
 |
| Ingredients: Jonagold apples, sugar, unsalted butter, Quick Puff Pastry (not shown), and vanilla ice cream |
I peeled and cored the apples, and then cut them in half (from the stem to the bottom end). Jonathan Waxman also suggests trimming the apple bottoms so that they stand up - but I found that it wasn't necessary to do this and that the apples stood up regardless (see picture later). I also combined the sugar and butter in the skillet and cooked it until the mixture became a light caramel color.
 |
| Left: Peeled, cored, and halved apples Right: The beginning of the caramel |
Once the caramel-butter sauce was ready, I began adding the apples by lining them up around the perimeter of the pan. I continued making concentric circle until all the apples were used up. I then allowed the apples to cook for a few minutes.
 |
| Concentric circles of apples cooking |
In the meantime, I rolled out the puff pastry. Earlier, I traced the circumference of the cast-iron skillet onto a piece of parchment paper. Accordingly, I used this as a guide to cut out a round of the puff pastry; keeping a little extra for some overlap. Finally, I picked the pastry all over with a fork and placed it in the fridge for a few minutes.
 |
| 1. Tracing circumference of skillet 2. Cutting out round of puff pastry 3. Puff pastry with fork pricks |
I then set the pastry over the apple-filled skillet and placed it in the oven to bake. I knew the tart was ready once the pastry turned a deep golden brown.
 |
| Baking the tart |
Now to the hardest part...inverting the skillet. As you might know, a cast iron skillet is incredibly heavy, almost 8 pounds. So the idea of flipping the tart over onto a plate was incredibly daunting. Luckily, I had some help. But even figuring out the logistics of how best to accomplish the flip was quite humorous. Anywho...the tart was flipped onto a large platter and the skillet sat on the platter for a few minutes before lifting it off. And though the apples slid to one side a little bit, the pattern was still evident.
 |
| Left: Inverted skillet Right: Finished product |
Finally, it was ready to eat. I cut slices of the tart and served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (JW also suggests serving it with créme fraîche).
 |
| Tarte Tatin |
I think the Tarte Tatin was delicious. Jonathan Waxman mentions that he "[struggled] to make a tart that wasn't too sweet or too heavy." And I think he accomplished it beautifully. And the recipe itself required little work. Like I mentioned earlier, the hardest part was inverting an eight pound cast iron skillet.
However, I have to make mention of the Quick Puff Pastry. The last time I reviewed the quick puff pastry was for the Chocolate Espresso Tart recipe and I didn't have very nice words to say about it. I mentioned it being too thick and difficult to eat. This time around, I didn't have that problem at all! And the funny part is I was aware that the puff pastry would be different this time around as I was making it. I was more in tune with getting the initial soft dough texture. Furthermore, I worked quickly with butter and easily got that brick shape. I guess I owe the puff pastry recipe an apology.
Overall, I think the Tarte Tatin was quite delicious and I definitely think I would make it again. However, I may experiment with a lighter skillet the next time around.
Enjoy!
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