Apple-Pear Tarte Tatin

Pies and Pastries Recipes | Fruit Recipes

Preparation Time: 35 minutes

Start to Finish Time: 95 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Tarte tatin is a classic French upside-down caramelized apple tart. Here, we give it a new twist with the addition of pears, whose honey flavor perfectly complements the tangy apples.

• Pastry dough:
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 stick chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

• Filling:
• 4 pounds (about 5 or 6) Gala, Rome, or Northern Spy apples, peeled
• 2 pounds (about 4) firm Bosc pears, peeled
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• Crème fraîche or sweetened whipped cream to serve

Place flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; process to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles streusel topping. With machine running, drizzle 1/4 cup ice water through the feed tube until dough just begins to hold together. If still crumbly, add more water. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and press out into a disk. Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using.

To make the filling, slice apples in half lengthwise and core. Trim tops off pears to match the height of the apples; reserve tips. Halve pears lengthwise and core.

In a 10-inch cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet, heat butter until just melted. Add sugar and water, then cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar turns the color of caramel candy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.

Alternately arrange apples and pears in the pan, standing them on end and packing as tightly as possible to form concentric circles. Fill center with extra apple pieces or trimmed pear tips. Return pan to moderate heat and cook until fruit softens, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°. Using a fork and knife, gently flip fruit, maintaining original design. Continue cooking until fruit is tender, about 10 minutes longer. (If fruit is giving off too much juice—it should come about halfway up the pan—pour excess into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick and syrupy, then set aside.) Once apples are done, remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully transfer dough to pan and place over apples, tucking ends down around fruit. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 20 minutes. To unmold, run knife along outside of tart, then place serving plate on top of skillet and flip. Drizzle with any reserved juices. Serve with crème fraîche or whipped cream.

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