Small Batch Individual Apple Tarte Tatins Recipe
This recipe was made with a gifted product from Roll It Pastry.
Apple Tarte tatins is a classic French dessert made with apples and puff pastry. The apples are coated in a caramel sauce with puff pastry layered on top. When the tart is baked, it is turned over and served with the apples facing up to create a stunning yet rustic dessert. The tart is best served warm with vanilla ice cream or custard for a beautifully warming and comforting dish. While this dessert is traditionally made in a large tin and sliced to serve, I have opted for individually sized tarts. This recipe makes just 3 servings.
So how do I make these Small Batch Individual Apple Tart Tatins from scratch?
While this recipe can seem a little intimidating because we need to make a caramel, it is pretty straightforward. The caramel itself is only sugar, water, butter, vanilla and sea salt. The puff pastry layer is also made easier by using premade puff pastry. You can find this in the chilled or frozen section of most supermarkets. Jus Roll is a good, reliable brand but if you’re looking for something a bit more local, you can use Rollit which is available in select SuperValu stores and most Dunnes Stores.
Caramel Apple Layer
To begin, peel and core the apples and cut into chunky finger sized strips. Toss the apples in the lemon juice to prevent them browning and set to one side. In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water. Cook on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the sugar caramelises and turns an amber brown colour. Add the butter, vanilla and salt and whisk together. Cook for another minute until the colour darkens slightly to a dark amber. Add in the apples and mix briefly. Warm for 1-2 minutes until the sugar dissolves fully again and coats the apples. Leave to one side to cool slightly.
When adding the butter or apples to the caramel, the caramel might seize up a little and parts of the sugar might harden a little. This is normal. Cook the caramel for another minute to melt the sugar crystals until it has become smooth again.
Assembling the tarts
Dust a clean working space and roll out the puff pastry if using a block. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of about 2 coins stacked on top of each other. Using either a 10cm biscuit cutter or a sharp knife, cut out 3 discs of pastry to fit each of the 10cm tins. Divide the apples between the tins, pouring some of the caramel on top of the apples. Place the puff pastry discs on top of the apples, pressing gently into the edges to fully cover the apples. Prick the pastry with a fork in a few different spots of each tart to help release steam while baking.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry has risen well and turned an even golden brown all over. Allow the tarts to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes. While they are still warm, gently run a knife around the edge of each tart and turn out onto a plate. If they start to cool too quickly and start to stick to the tins, pop the tarts into the oven for a minute or two to loosen them up.
Serve warm with ice cream or custard.
Frequently Asked Questions for Apple Tarte Tatins
You can use either cooking or eating apples for this recipe. Cooking apples will have more of a contrast of flavour as the apples are more sour than eating apples. If using cooking apples, cook the apples in the caramel for a further 2-3 minutes to help soften them.
Yes, the authentic classic tarte tatin uses shortcrust pastry so you can substitute shortcrust pastry for the puff pastry in this recipe.
It’s important when making this recipe to cut the apples thick enough that they don’t disintegrate when cooking. It’s equally important to not stir the apples too harshly when combining with the caramel.
My favourite way to serve this is still warm with some vanilla ice cream. You can also serve it with custard, whipped cream, nuts etc.
For more Pastry Recipes, check out my Pastry Category, here.
Maybe you’re interested in more Apple Recipes? You can check out my Apple Category, here.
Small Batch Individual Apple Tarte Tatins
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan or deep pan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 10 cm biscuit cutter or a sharp knife
- 3 small 10cm airfryer tins or mini cake moulds
Ingredients
- 5-6 small apples or 2-3 large
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 130 grams caster sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 40 grams butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 200 grams puff pastry
- flour for dusting
Instructions
- If using frozen puff pastry defrost overnight in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 200°c (400°f) or 190°c (380°f) if fan assisted.
- Peel and core the apples and cut into chunky finger sized strips. Toss the apples in the lemon juice to prevent them browning and set to one side.
- In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water. Cook on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the sugar caramelises and turns an amber brown colour.
- Add the butter, vanilla and salt and whisk together. Cook for another minute until the colour darkens slightly to a dark amber.
- Add in the apples and mix briefly. Warm for 1-2 minutes until the sugar dissolves fully again and coats the apples. Leave to one side to cool slightly.
- Dust a clean working space and roll out the puff pastry if using a block. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of about 2 coins stacked on top of each other. Using either a 10cm biscuit cutter or a sharp knife, cut out 3 discs of pastry to fit each of the 10cm tins.
- Divide the apples between the tins, pouring some of the caramel on top of the apples.
- Place the puff pastry discs on top of the apples, pressing gently into the edges to fully cover the apples.
- Prick the pastry with a fork in a few different spots of each tart to help release steam while baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry has risen well and turned an even golden brown all over.
- Allow the tarts to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes. While they are still warm, gently run a knife around the edge of each tart and turn out onto a plate. If they start to cool too quickly and start to stick to the tins, pop the tarts into the oven for a minute or two to loosen them up.
- Serve warm with ice cream or custard.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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