Apple Tarte Tatin
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
Dough
  • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons very cold water
Filling
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 4 baking apples (~ 2 pounds – such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious), peeled cored and each side cut into quarters lengthwise
  • For Serving: vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
Make Dough:
  1. To make the dough in a food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl and pulse to blend. Add butter and shortening and pulse until reduced to ½-inch pieces. Add water a little at a time and pulse until the dough just begins to come together in a rough mass. You may not need all of the water.
  2. To make the dough by hand, combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add butter and shortening and toss to coat with flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the pieces of fat into flour mixture until they are no larger than small peas. Dribble the water over the mixture and toss with a fork until dough is evenly moist and begins to come together in a rough mass. You may not need all of the water.
  3. Transfer dough to a work surface and shape into a 5-inch disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours and as long as 24 hours.
  4. While apples are cooking on top of the stove, lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll out chilled dough into a 12-inch round, a scant ¼-inch thick. Lift and turn the dough several times as you roll to prevent sticking, and dust the surface and the rolling pin with additional flour as needed. Use a dough scraper or icing spatula to loosen the pastry if it sticks. Trim dough into an 11-inch round. Use immediately or slide a rimless baking sheet under dough, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Make Filling:
  1. Preheat an oven to 375°F.
  2. Set a Tarte Tatin pan or a 9 or 10-inch straight-sided, ovenproof frying pan (preferably cast iron) over medium heat and heat butter. When it melts, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter and continue cooking until sugar melts and turns amber colored, about 3 to 4 minutes. Shake and swirl pan frequently to redistribute sugar for even melting and caramelization. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.
  3. Arrange apples, core side up, in the caramel in a snug, even layer. (It doesn’t have to look perfect and a reminder that the bottoms of the apples are what you'll see when the tarte is flipped over.) Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the apples are just tender, about 15 minutes. The caramel will bubble up around the apples. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn (adjust heat if necessary). Remove the pan from heat.
  4. Uncover pastry round. When bubbling has subsided, slide both hands under pastry round and carefully place it on top of the apples, tucking in the edges and being careful not to burn your fingers. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
  5. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Place a large flat serving plate upside down on top of the pan and invert the pan and plate together. Lift off the pan.
  6. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
* While I haven’t made the crust with all butter, I have seen recipes that do. You could try using 7 tablespoons of butter in place of 4 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/apple-tarte-tatin/