Apple season is one that inspires a little creativity, a desire to bring fall vibes to life, and to give it all I’ve got. It’s like a prompt.
But then the time commitment comes into play…
My one attempt at apple picking and making a homemade galette (it sounded so good in theory) was a total fail that took all day! And that’s not what I need when I’m hosting at the end of a crazy work week. I want to spend my time making something simple yet gorgeous that takes minimal hands-on time so I can multitask or spend time with loved ones.
So I typically ask a friend to bring dessert, put out homemade cookies, or bake a quick “Best Chocolate Cake Ever” from Add a Pinch.
These strategies are all FINE! But what if I want to be a little fancy…and still not spend too much time?
Luckily, I’ve got a gal. Chef Lori Gilmore, Culinary Institute of America-trained pastry chef to the stars…and one of my dearest friends. I called her with my fast-yet-fancy request, and after the quickest “hmm” I’ve ever heard, she said: Mini Tartes Tatin!
Me: “How long does it take?”
Lori: “10 mins hands on; 20ish to bake”
Sold.
How gorgeous are these homemade tartes tatin?!
Lori joined me in my kitchen to teach me how to make two simple variations on the classic French pastry, tarte tatin. Because while I applaud and adore people who pick their own apples, make their own puff pastry, and pour every ounce of love and care into anything they do…that’s just not me with dessert. I’m not a skilled baker, plus I’m forever a Last-Minute Lucy, always searching for ways to save time and energy.
This recipe checks all the boxes.
We started with the caramel, which I’ve never made before, and it took the most active time. Sure, the tarte tatin took 20-ish minutes in the oven, but that’s time that can be spent doing other prep for the party. It’s part of why I love this dessert so much!
How to Make Caramel:
Lori suggested we double the recipe so we had extra to drizzle over the top - so that’s the version you’ll see below.
You Will Need:
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (to stop the crystallization and keep the caramel smooth)
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
How It Comes Together:
Add the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a large pot (the more surface area, the faster it will heat), and bring it to medium/high heat on the stove.
Keep an eye on the pot, swirling every minute or so.
Once it starts turning caramel-colored, continuously swirl it until it reaches your preferred caramel color (Here’s my fave color, but no Pantone book required!).
Remove it from the heat and mix in the butter to stop the cooking process.
Note: You will spoon a bit into each tarte tatin receptacle and reserve the rest for drizzling.
How to Make Individual Tartes Tatin:
You’ll Need:
3 medium baking apples (Lori recos Granny Smith), peeled and halved
1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
1.5-2 cups caramel sauce - we made it ourselves, and it was easier than ever imagined!
Optional for savory version: 6 small cubes of cheese (We used brie, but Lori says gouda or cheddar would also be yummy!)
Optional garnishes: Fresh thyme leaves, flaky sea salt, extra caramel sauce for drizzling.
How It Comes Together:
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Prep the Apples:
Peel three apples and cut them in half. (Feel free to do this in between stirring the caramel!)
Core the apple halves. Notch cut the stem and bum, then scoop out the core with a spoon.
Prep the Pastry:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry until slightly thinner. The frozen kind is great! Just let it thaw before rolling. And FYI, there are gluten-free options too.
Take a cookie cutter or glass that’s slightly larger than the circumference of the opening of what you’re baking in, and trace it with a sharp-ish knife to roughly cut out a circle. No need to be precious about this!
Remove the scraps — but don’t throw them away! The extras can be used in so many ways that Lori promises to show me in the future.
Take a fork and poke a lot of holes in your puff pastry circles. Like, more than you think!
Assemble:
Fill the bottom quarter of your baking dish with caramel. We used a large muffin tin with six cups, but you could also use individual ramekins.
Place one apple half into each caramel cup, with the core facing up. If they don’t quite fit, shave down the sides - or just kind of push them in. Don’t worry too much, because they shrink when baking.
Optional: To take these tartes tatin from purely sweet to an equally delish sweet/savory combo, add a small cube of brie into the core.
Place the puff pastry circles on top of the apples, and slightly tuck the edges in.
Bake:
Pro tip: Place your muffin tin on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Bake on the top shelf for about 10 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 375°F and rotate your pan. Especially if you know your oven has hot spots, which Lori says you can find by filling your oven with white bread and seeing which slices burn the fastest. (Genius!)
“Cook with your heart and eyes,” checking back until you have a beautiful golden-brown crust and can easily poke a knife through. (Typically another 10-15 minutes.)
Remove the tarte tatin from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
Flip & Serve:
Run a butter knife around the inside edge of each cup to loosen the tarte tatin.
Place a flat cookie sheet or cutting board on top, and flip them over.
If any don’t come out perfectly, don’t worry! You can nudge the rest out with an offset spatula or butter knife, do a little hands-on pastry surgery, and then add a caramel drizzle to hide any scars.
Note: If your extra caramel for drizzling hardened while baking, reheat it on the stove.
Serve warm or at room temperature
Optional: Sprinkle with thyme or salt.
Optional: Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Et voilà!
I can’t even tell you how delicious and easy both variations were to make. I had the good fortune of having one of my besties guide me through the process, plus the joy of chatting with her during the baking, but I’ve made these again several times because they are JUST. THAT. EASY. And delish! In fact I think it’s also my new Thanksgiving dessert…
🍏 Carrie 🍏