From accidental innovation to global phenomenon: the enduring legacy of Tarte Tatin
Tarte Tatin is a specific French tart with apples as its vital ingredient. This extraordinary dish originates from the little town of Lamotte-Beuvron, where it was conceived in 1898. The creation of this unique dessert is credited to Stéphanie Tatin, who managed a hotel and restaurant with her sister Caroline, a venture that's still operational today.
3 Feb 2024 | updated: 7 March 2024 09:24
Tarte Tatin - from a happy accident to a great success
The story of the tart's creation is quite a tale. While making a traditional apple tart, Stéphanie Tatin opted for an unorthodox approach. Instead of starting with the dough, she began with the apples, which she then covered with dough. The outcome of her bold experiment was jaw-dropping, even more so considering that Stéphanie chose to serve the tart hot.
Tarte Tatin swiftly became the signature dish of the Hotel Tatin. The recipe for this dessert proliferated throughout the Sologne region and subsequently gained international recognition. This wider acclaim is mainly down to Louis Vaudable, a restauranteur from Paris. During his visit to Lamotte-Beuvron, Vaudable got to sample the Tarte Tatin and was so taken with its flavour that he decided to include it on his Maxim's restaurant menu.
In Lamotte-Beuvron, the inhabitants established a dedicated association called La Confrérie des Lichonneux de Tarte Tatin. Their main aim is to promote and protect the authentic Tarte Tatin. Association members don distinctive attire reminiscent of traditional country clothes - blue shirts, red scarves, and black hats. An annual festival and market are organised where the tart is sampled.
Tarte Tatin recipe
Ingredients:
DOUGH:
- 180 grams (rounded) of wheat flour,
- 75 grams (rounded) of butter,
- 40 grams (rounded) of powdered sugar,
- 2 egg yolks,
- a pinch of salt,
FILLING
- 6 tart and firm apples,
- 4 tablespoons of butter,
- 4 tablespoons of sugar.
Preparation:
- Sift the flour onto a pastry board, add firm butter cut into cubes, yolks, salt, and sugar. Begin kneading the dough. Wrap the finished dough in foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Peel the apples and quarter them. Pour sugar into a heated pan. When it turns light brown, add the butter and mix everything.
- Add the apples to the prepared caramel. Cook them in the caramel until they soften. This should take about 15 minutes.
- Line a 25-centimetre (rounded) diameter pan with parchment paper and cover the bottom with the apples and caramel. Cover with the rolled-out pastry, folding the edges inwards to contain the apples and sauce. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork. Bake the tart for roughly 25 minutes at around 190 degrees Celsius.
- When the tart is ready, cover it with a plate, then invert the cake so the apple-topped tart is uppermost.
