“Of course you can buy a ready-made pie shell, but it’s a shame not to have the know-how yourself.”
~ Julia Child, in “Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom
Tarte Tatin
This is a traditional French recipe. If you want to make a quicker version, by all means, purchase a pre-made frozen pie crust. They work phenomenally. But, for those who want more of an adventure in the kitchen, here is the complete recipe. This recipe was jotted down by my mother in her recipe journal while learning it from her mother-in-law and my grandmother, Mamiche.
Ingredients-
Crust:
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon of salt
4 ounces of unsalted butter
8 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
3/4 cup of chilled water
Filling:
About 5 apples (Golden Delicious or Honey Crisp recommended)
2 cups of sugar
3 ounces of unsalted butter
1 tbsp. of vanilla extract
Optional accompaniment:
whipped cream, crème fraiche , or vanilla ice cream.
Process-
The dough:
Sift together the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and toss with the vegetable shortening and the flour until the cubes are coated. Crumble the butter into the flour by rubbing your thumbs and fingertips together, lifting the pieces and letting them fall back down again.
Add the water a little at a time, starting with about 1/2 cup, and mix just until the mixture comes together. The amount of water the dough needs will depend on the moisture in the flour and the humidity.
Gather the dough together and knead briefly on a lightly floured board until it forms a smooth ball. You will be able to see streaks of shortening in the pastry when it’s done. Chill at least 2 hours before rolling out. You can keep the pastry for a week in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months frozen.
The filling:
In a pot, over medium heat, add the sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Stir until integrated and the sugar granules cannot be seen. Let the mixture simmer until it becomes a semi-dark brown caramel. Stirring every minute.
Peel and remove the core from the apples. Cut them in quarters or thirds. This will depend on the design you would like to make.
Building your Tarte Tatin:
Preheat the oven at 425 °F.
Grease a pie dish (I prefer ceramic) and add the caramel once it is done. Lay the apple slices in your preferred pattern. Remember that the apples will shrink, therefore, place them in a way that there will not be room in between them once they cook and release the juices.
Roll the pie dough on a floured surface making sure it is thin enough to bend, but not thick enough to tear/break. Gently place the pie dough over the dish. Cut off any excess crush and push in the edges of the pie (as shown in the picture).
lace the dish in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the pie crust is golden and the pan juices are bubbling. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rimmed cake plate to serve with crème fraîche or ice cream.
Et voilà!
C’est Bon!
C'est Bon! 