This rustic Tarte Tatin with rhubarb and strawberry is sure to sweeten your day!
The Tarte Tatin is said to have originated in France in a town South of Paris at Hotel Tatin. The dessert was traditionally made of apple caramelised in butter and sugar that is then covered and baked with pastry. This exciting discovery is believed to have been an accident on the part of the two sisters who own Hotel Tatin. Whilst making the filling for an apple pie, one sister had kept the fruit on the stove for too long. In an attempt to save her dessert, she covered the cooked apples in a sheet of pastry and put it in the oven. Once the pastry had browned, she removed it from the oven and flipped it out onto a plate - an upside-down tart! The guests loved the dessert so much, it quickly became the signature dish at the restaurant, putting the hotel on the map – hence the name Tarte Tatin!
Tips and Tricks For The Perfect Tarte Tatin
Using a good quality non-stick pan is paramount. For this recipe, I chose to use the Anolon X Seartech Non-stick Open French Skillet 25cm for many reasons. Firstly, a skillet is needed to make a tarte Tatin as it needs to go directly from stovetop to oven. The pan has an interesting hybrid Seartech™ design of stainless-steel mesh on a non-stick coating to ensure an easy release of the dessert. The hybrid base is also ultra-thick, and this technology ensures the caramel evenly cooks and effortlessly caramelises. The pan is also suitable for all cooktops and oven environments (oven proof up to 260°C). If you use the Anolon X Seartech Non-stick Open French Skillet, this recipe will work on induction and gas cooktops and the pan will remain in tip top condition.
An obstacle with Tarte Tatins is the soggy crust. Be careful not to overcook the fruit so that it sticks nicely to the pastry. Also, don’t remove your tart from the pan straight away. Ensure you leave it time to rest so that the caramel can slightly set – rest for at least 10 minutes. In recipes where apples are used, you would cook the apple in the caramel for five minutes to help break the apple down. Rhubarb and strawberries break down much faster so there is no need for the extra cooking time in this recipe.
Can you use home-made pastry? Absolutely! If you have the time and are willing to put in the extra effort, this is a delicious option. Puff pastry works well though no stress if you want to keep it simple – try a rough puff pastry recipe.
You don’t want a bitter tarte Tatin! Ensure the caramel is only cooked to light amber in colour. Your dessert still has further cooking time to do in the oven, so you don’t want the caramel overdone to begin with. Keep a close eye on your caramel as it very quickly turns once amber.
If you are making your tarte Tatin in advance, allow it to cool completely in the pan before reheating. When it is time to serve, place it back in the oven, still in the pan. Cook it at 180°C for only 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully use your fingers or a spatula to ensure the outside hasn’t adhered to the pan before turning it out onto the plate after 5 minutes.
Once you have mastered the art of cooking the perfect Tarte Tatin, the flavour possibilities are endless. Not only can they be sweet desserts but also savoury. Some of my favourite sweet flavours are apple, pear, pineapple and stone fruits such as peach or nectarine. Some savoury ideas include caramelised tomato, leek and goats cheese, and caramelised onion.
Rhubarb and Strawberry Tarte Tatin
Ingredients:
- 100 gram caster sugar
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 rhubarb
- 5 strawberries
- 5 sprigs of Greek basil or thyme
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Cut rhubarb stalks into pieces ranging from approximately 5 to 8 cm.
3. Measure out all your ingredients in advance and place them into ramekins.
4. To pre make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and milk (set the raw sugar aside for later).
5. Start by making a caramel. In a good quality non-stick skillet, stir, combining the sugar and water. Cook until the colour turns to light amber and viscose.
6. Whisk butter into the caramel until it’s completely melted.
7. In the base of the pan, arrange the rhubarb, strawberries and accompanying herb sprigs.
8. Working quickly, cover the fruit with your sheet of pastry tucking the sides in around the circumference of the pan.
9. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar.
10. Pop in the oven for about 30 minutes or until pastry is browned and fully cooked (if using a larger pan this will take longer up to 45 minutes).
11. Being careful not to burn your hand, using an oven mitt – remove the pan from the oven.
12. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes for the caramel to thicken.
13. Ensure the edges are loose between the pastry and pan. Pop a dinner plate over the pan and while holding the plate firmly, flip the tarte Tatin right way up onto the plate.
14. Serve with ice cream, whipped chantilly crème or sweetened crème fraiche.
Next Read: 3 Delicious Recipes For A Beautiful Christmas Feast
