The Fabulous Tart Tatin

Welcome to the fascinating world of the famous French dessert, the Tarte Tatin! Have you ever wondered how a delectable masterpiece like this came to be? Let me take you on a journey back to the 1880s, at the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte Beuvron, where an accidental creation changed the course of dessert history. Picture this: Stephanie Tatin, the creative mind behind the iconic Tart Tatin, was in the midst of her daily apple pie preparations when fate intervened. In a moment of distraction, the apples she was caramelizing in butter and sugar ended up cooking for a tad too long. Determined to salvage the situation, Stephanie ingeniously placed the pastry base on top of the pan of caramelized apples, and finished the baking process in the oven. The result? A heavenly dessert that captivated the taste buds of all who had the pleasure of savoring it. The luscious blend of tender apples, rich caramel, and flaky pastry creates a harmony of flavors that is simply irresistible. Just imagining the sweet aroma wafting through the air as the Tart Tatin emerges golden and bubbling from the oven is enough to make your mouth water. If you're intrigued by the history and allure of the Tart Tatin, then stay tuned to discover the secrets behind crafting this culinary masterpiece. Join me in unraveling the art of creating the perfect Tart Tatin, where every bite tells a story of tradition, innovation, and pure indulgence.

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Welcome to the fascinating world of the famous French dessert

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Sablée Breton

To start, you'll need to prepare the cookie dough using a food processor. Begin by mixing softened butter with the salt until creamy. Then, add in sugar, almond meal, and vanilla. Next, incorporate the egg yolks and the sifted dry ingredients to form a cohesive dough. Once the dough is ready, chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow it to firm up. After chilling, place the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into a pretty thick sheet, about 6mm in thickness. Pop the rolled-out dough into the freezer to set. When the dough is firm, remove it from the freezer and cut out the pastry into your desired disk shapes.

Caramel

To begin, start by cooking sugar until it transforms into a rich brown caramel. The sugar will gradually darken in color, developing a deep and complex flavor profile that is the hallmark of a well-crafted caramel. Once the sugar has reached the desired caramelization point, lower the heat and add butter to the mixture. The butter will add a creamy richness to the caramel and help create a smooth and velvety texture. Stir the mixture gently until the butter is fully incorporated, ensuring that the caramel is silky and luxurious. Next, enhance the caramel with the addition of vanilla and a touch of lemon juice. Prepare a mold by greasing it with cooking spray and wiping off any excess grease. Carefully pour the hot caramel mixture into the prepared mold.

Montage

When it comes to cooking apples, there are a few tricks that can help you achieve the perfect result. One technique that can be particularly useful is pre-cooking the apples before using them in a recipe. Not only does this help prevent browning, but it also softens up the apples, making them more tender and delicious in your dish. To pre-cook apples, start by bringing a pot of water to a boil and adding the juice of a lemon. While the water is heating up, peel, quarter, and core the apples. Once the water is boiling, throw the apple quarters into the hot lemony water. Allow the apples to come back to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let the apples sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes to soften up. After 10 minutes, drain the apples and cut each quarter into thin slices. When arranging the apples in a pan or skillet, start from the center and follow the curves of the pan, filling it up with the sliced apples. Continue this process until the pan is filled with the apples.

Baking

Pre-heat fan oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Bake Tatin for 20 min. Tent tart with foil, and bake for 60 minutes more. The remove the foil. Lay over sablé breton disk. Bake for 30 minutes more. Allow the tarte tatin to cool off for a couple of hours, and place in the refrigerator overnight.
To de-mold tatin: Immerse the chilled tarte tatin pan in hot water for about 10 seconds or use a kitchen blowtorch. Remove pan carefully. Tatin can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Serve your tatin lukewarm and topped with a quenelle of vanilla ice cream if desired – Enjoy!