Marthas Favorite Tarte Tatin Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Core apples using a melon baller to retain the rounded shape of the apples. Rub apples with sliced lemons to prevent browning. Set aside.
• Over medium heat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook until it turns a rich golden color; swirling occasionally, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, roll puff pastry in one direction out into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8 inch thick. Brush off any excess flour with a pastry brush.
• Add butter to skillet. Once melted, add apples, rounded sides down, fitting as many into the skillet as possible. Remove from heat, and top apples with puff pastry. Fold edges under, and crimp slightly. Make two to three small cuts in puff pastry to allow the steam to escape. Place in oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. and bake until pastry is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and let cool about 2 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife. Carefully place a plate over the skillet and flip, inverting the tarte tatin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 13 1/2-inch square. Using a large skillet as a guide, cut out a 12-inch round. Transfer pastry round to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Make three 1/2-inch slits in center of round; set pastry aside at room temperature.
• Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook, swirling skillet occasionally, until mixture turns medium amber, about 3 minutes.
• Arrange bananas in skillet, overlapping slightly. Cook, without stirring, 3 minutes. Drizzle vanilla and rum over bananas, and cook until most of the rum has evaporated and liquid has thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place pastry round on top of bananas, and transfer to oven. Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully invert the tart onto a serving plate. Whisk creme fraiche until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Serve dessert warm or at room temperature with the creme fraiche.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in upper third position. Generously butter a standard 12-cup nonstick muffin pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Transfer rounds to a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the caramel: combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and cook, swirling the pan occasionally (do not stir), over medium-high heat until deep amber, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Divide caramel among prepared muffin cups. Place two apricot halves, cut side up, in each muffin cup. Remove the chilled pastry rounds from freezer and place on top of apricots.
• Place muffin pan on the chilled baking sheet and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until pastry is crisp and golden brown, 30 to 32 minutes. Top muffin pan with a rimmed baking sheet and invert. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry to an 11 1/2-inch square; using a plate as a guide, cut out an 11-inch round. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, combine sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in butter. Arrange pear wedges in a circle along the edge of skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until pears are crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Drape chilled pastry round over pears, tucking edge under. Place a small oven-safe plate or pot lid on top of pastry; bake 15 minutes. Remove plate; continue to bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let tart cool in skillet, 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of skillet, and carefully invert tart onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch metal pie plate; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 9-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. Place dough on the prepared baking sheet, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix together the sugar, 2 tablespoons cold water, and the lemon juice to form a thick syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat, swirling pan; cook until the mixture turns medium amber, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and pour the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pie plate. Immediately add the butter, distributing evenly.
• Arrange the apples, rounded sides down, around the bottom of the pan in a circular pattern, starting from the outside and working in, fitting them as close together as possible (the apples will be the top of the tart when served). Drape the chilled dough round over the apples to cover the mixture completely.
• Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with a clean nonstick baking mat. Remove the tart from the oven, and immediately invert onto the mat, working quickly but carefully to avoid contact with the hot caramel. Using tongs, carefully lift the pie plate off of the tart. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with creme fraiche, if using.

Steps:

• Halve and core pears. Set aside one pear half. Quarter remaining pears and transfer to a large bowl. Squeeze lemon over pears and set aside.
• Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons water in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture begins to thicken and turn amber. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Place reserved pear half in center of skillet along with any reserved juices. Decoratively arrange remaining pears, cut side up, in an even layer. If fruit does not completely fill pan, tart will collapse when inverted.
• Place skillet over low heat and cook until syrup thickens and is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Do not let syrup burn. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll out pate brisee to a 10-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick; transfer to a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place pâte brisée over pears and tuck in edges. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes. Loosen pastry from skillet using a sharp knife. Place a rimmed platter over skillet; quickly and carefully invert. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together flour, salt, and baking powder until well combined. Add butter; mix until well combined. Add yolk, milk, and sugar; mix until fully incorporated. Transfer to refrigerator and let chill for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Turn dough out onto a nonstick baking mat and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Invert a 7 1/2-inch round silicone mold onto dough; using a small sharp knife, trace around the mold. Remove scraps and discard. Transfer baking mat to a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the apples: Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Place apples on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar and transfer to oven. Bake until slightly softened, about 20 minutes.
• Make the caramel: Place sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt, without stirring, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in butter until smooth.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place a 7 3/4-inch round silicone mold on a baking sheet and pour in caramel. Arrange apples vertically around the perimeter of the mold, working towards the center. Transfer to oven and bake until browned and very soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour.
• Place circular piece of dough over mold and invert; serve with creme fraiche.