Our former intern Paris continues to tantilize our tastebuds with her delicious baking!

This weekend while upstate, I stopped by at an apple orchard and picked up some apples. I used them to make an apple tarte tatin. When using store-bought puff pastry, this is an easy dessert. But I decided to make the dough myself, which was difficult but worth it for the taste. This is a delicious dessert and it’s the best apple tarte tatin I have ever had, the apples really melt in your mouth!

Apple Tarte Tatin

Puff pastry:
Butter block:
2 sticks of butter plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon of water
Pinch of salt
½ cup of all-purpose flour

Dough:
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of softened butter
1 teaspoon of salt
½ cup of ice cold water

Filling:
8 apples (a firm apple like McIntosh)
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar

A pan that measures 7-8 inches at the bottom and 10-11 inches at the top (and that can also be put into the oven).


1. Start the puff pastry (this takes awhile to make so it should be done a day ahead). Make the butter block by using a mixer to mix the butter, water and salt together until combined. Once combined add flour. Scoop out all the butter onto a piece of saran wrap and shape into a 4 by 4 inch block (see photo 3). Wrap in the saran wrap and place in the fridge.

2. Make the dough by putting the flour in a bowl, crumble the butter pieces so that they are thoroughly combined in the flour. Create a well in the flour and pour in salt and water. Mix using your hand, creating a swirling motion until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a square and wrap in saran wrap and put in the fridge. For 30 minutes.

3. After 30 minutes take out the dough and butter. On a cold work surface (marble if possible) roll out the dough into a 10 by 10 inch square. Place the butter block diagonally on the dough. Fold the dough over the butter block, pinching all the edges closed (photo 4). Roll the butter block into a rectangle and then fold the rectangle like a letter in three pieces (photo 5). Put on a plate, cover in saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this process 5 times, the last time only rolling the dough out into a circle so that it fits the top of the pan, cutting off the excess dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. Start the filling. Peel the apples, core and quarter them. Put the butter in the pan and melt it, take it off the heat and add sugar, mixing until combined. Arrange apples in a circle in the outside of the pan (photo 9) and put the rest in the middle (you will probably have extra, this is for adding more as the apples shrink while cooking). Put the apples back on high heat and cook them for 10 minutes, adding more apple pieces as the apples in the pan start to shrink. Take the apples off the heat and flip them using two forks. Return the pan to the heat and continue to cook the apples for 5 more minutes. Put the puff pastry on top of the apples and place in the oven. Bake until puff pastry is golden, about 25-30 minutes.

5. Once the puff pastry is cooked, take the tarte tatin out of the oven and flip onto a large plate. Cut slices while it is still hot and enjoy with some vanilla ice cream.



FILED UNDER: paris starn , mini martha , baking , apple tarte tatin