James Martin Apple Tarte Tatin is made with crisp Pink Lady apples, rich butter, sweet caster sugar, and a cap of golden puff pastry. This recipe creates a stunning upside-down caramelized apple tart, where the fruit turns sticky and toffee-like in the pan before being flipped over to reveal a flaky, buttery crust. It is the perfect elegant dessert for a dinner party, yet simple enough for a weekend treat.
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Why You Will Love This Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe:
- The “Toffee Apple” Flavor: If you love the taste of sticky toffee apples from a fairground, this is the grown-up version. The apples slowly cook in the butter and sugar until they become chewy, sweet, and infused with rich caramel.
- Only 4 Ingredients: You don’t need a long shopping list. With just apples, butter, sugar, and pastry, you can create a Michelin-star quality dessert. It relies on technique rather than fancy ingredients.
- The “Pink Lady” Difference: Many recipes use Granny Smith apples, which can sometimes be too sour. James Martin uses Pink Lady apples, which are naturally sweeter and have a firmer texture that holds up perfectly against the hot caramel without turning into mush.
- The Drama of the Flip: There is nothing more satisfying in baking than the moment you flip the pan and reveal the glistening, amber-colored fruit mosaic. It is a show-stopping moment for any dinner party.
- Texture Contrast: It hits every texture note: crisp, flaky pastry on the bottom, soft, melting apples in the middle, and sticky, chewy caramel on top.
James Martin Apple Tarte Tatin Ingredients
- 14 Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, and halved
- 200g all-butter puff pastry, rolled into a circle (slightly larger than your pan)
- 250g caster sugar
- 125g butter (plus a little extra for greasing if needed)
To Serve:
- Vanilla Ice Cream
How To Make James Martin Apple Tarte Tatin
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Make the caramel: Place a large oven-proof frying pan (about 24-26cm) over medium heat. Add the butter and caster sugar. Cook gently until the butter melts and combines with the sugar to form a light golden caramel.
- Add the apples: Carefully pack the apple halves into the pan. You must pack them very tightly, standing them on their sides if necessary, as they will shrink while cooking.
- Cook on the stove: Cook the apples in the caramel on the stove for 15 minutes. Spoon the hot caramel over the apples (basting) frequently to coat them evenly.
- Add the pastry: Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully drape the circle of puff pastry over the hot apples. Use a spoon or blunt knife to tuck the edges of the pastry down inside the rim of the pan, enveloping the fruit.
- Bake: Place the pan directly into the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. The pastry should be puffed up, crisp, and deep golden brown.
- Flip and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes (this lets the caramel set slightly). Place a large serving plate upside down over the pan. Wearing oven mitts, quickly flip the pan over to release the tart onto the plate. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
- Pack it Tight: The most common mistake is not using enough apples. Apples lose a lot of water and shrink when cooked. If you don’t pack them in tightly at the start, you will end up with gaps in your finished tart.
- Watch the Caramel: Caramel can go from golden to burnt very quickly. Keep the heat medium-low and watch it closely. If it starts to smell bitter or turn very dark brown, take it off the heat immediately.
- The Right Pan: You absolutely need an oven-proof pan (like a cast iron skillet or a stainless steel sauté pan) because the dish starts on the stove and goes straight into the oven. Do not use a pan with a plastic handle.
- Rest Before Flipping: Don’t flip the tart the second it comes out of the oven. The caramel is liquid lava at that point. Resting it for 5 minutes allows the caramel to thicken slightly, so it stays on the apples rather than running all over your counter.
What To Serve With Apple Tarte Tatin?
Serve Apple Tarte Tatin with a cold creamy topping to balance the warm caramel,vanilla ice cream is ideal as it melts into the toffee sauce, while crème fraîche provides a tangy contrast to the sweetness. Cold double cream is also a simple, luxurious option.
❄️How To Store Leftovers Tarte Tatin?
- Refrigerate: Tarte Tatin is best eaten fresh. However, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pastry will lose its crunch as it sits in the caramel.
- Freeze: It is not recommended to freeze this tart once baked, as the caramel will weep and the pastry will become soggy upon thawing.
♨️How to reheat leftovers Tarte Tatin?
1. The Oven Method (The Best Result)
- Preheat: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Place: Put the tart slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Bake: Heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Check: The apples should be warm and shiny.
- Rest: Let it sit for 2 minutes before serving. The caramel gets extremely hot and needs a moment to settle so it doesn’t burn your tongue.
2. The Air Fryer Method (Fastest for Slices)
- Temperature: Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Do not use high heat, or the sugar in the caramel will burn black.
- Heat: Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Watch: Keep an eye on it through the window if possible. As soon as the pastry edges look crisp, take it out.
FAQs
James Martin specifies Pink Lady apples because they have a great balance of sweet and tart, and they hold their shape well. Granny Smith or Braeburn are excellent alternatives. Avoid u0022flouryu0022 apples like Red Delicious, which will turn into applesauce.
This happens if the apples release too much water. If you flip the tart and it’s watery, you can carefully pour the excess liquid into a saucepan, boil it until it becomes a thick syrup, and pour it back over the tart.
James Martin's Saturday Morning
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Check Price: £12.50 »Traditionally, Tarte Tatin uses shortcrust pastry, but James Martin prefers puff pastry for a lighter, flakier texture. You can use either, but puff pastry gives a more impressive rise.
For this quantity of apples (14 halves), a 24cm to 26cm (10-inch) heavy-based ovenproof frying pan is ideal.
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Apple Tarte Tatin Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (serves 8)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Sodium: 160mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 58g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 45g
- Protein: 2g
James Martin Apple Tarte Tatin
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, BrunchCuisine: French, British, AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes45
minutes420
kcal🍎James Martin’s version of the famous French upside-down apple tart. Pink Lady apples are caramelized in butter and sugar, topped with puff pastry, and baked until golden. A simple yet spectacular dessert.
Ingredients :
14 Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, and halved
200g all-butter puff pastry, rolled into a circle (slightly larger than your pan)
250g caster sugar
125g butter (plus a little extra for greasing if needed)
- To Serve:
Vanilla Ice Cream
Directions :
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Make the caramel: Place a large oven-proof frying pan (about 24-26cm) over medium heat. Add the butter and caster sugar. Cook gently until the butter melts and combines with the sugar to form a light golden caramel.
- Add the apples: Carefully pack the apple halves into the pan. You must pack them very tightly, standing them on their sides if necessary, as they will shrink while cooking.
- Cook on the stove: Cook the apples in the caramel on the stove for 15 minutes. Spoon the hot caramel over the apples (basting) frequently to coat them evenly.
- Add the pastry: Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully drape the circle of puff pastry over the hot apples. Use a spoon or blunt knife to tuck the edges of the pastry down inside the rim of the pan, enveloping the fruit.
- Bake: Place the pan directly into the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. The pastry should be puffed up, crisp, and deep golden brown.
- Flip and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes (this lets the caramel set slightly). Place a large serving plate upside down over the pan. Wearing oven mitts, quickly flip the pan over to release the tart onto the plate. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Pack it Tight: The most common mistake is not using enough apples. Apples lose a lot of water and shrink when cooked. If you don’t pack them in tightly at the start, you will end up with gaps in your finished tart.
Watch the Caramel: Caramel can go from golden to burnt very quickly. Keep the heat medium-low and watch it closely. If it starts to smell bitter or turn very dark brown, take it off the heat immediately.
The Right Pan: You absolutely need an oven-proof pan (like a cast iron skillet or a stainless steel sauté pan) because the dish starts on the stove and goes straight into the oven. Do not use a pan with a plastic handle.
Rest Before Flipping: Don’t flip the tart the second it comes out of the oven. The caramel is liquid lava at that point. Resting it for 5 minutes allows the caramel to thicken slightly, so it stays on the apples rather than running all over your counter.
