Tatin Tart with pears
The tarte Tatin is a French dessert that was accidentally made by the Tatin sisters who invented it and served it in their hotel. The tarte Tatin was created accidentally at the Hôtel Tatin which was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron in the 1880s. Stephanie started to cook a traditional apple pie but she left the apples cooking in caramel (butter+sugar) for too long. She tried to save the dish by putting the puff pastry base on top of the pan of apples and she put the pan in the oven. After turning out the upside down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert. While baking, the sugar and butter create a delicious caramel that becomes the topping when the tart is inverted onto a serving plate. Research suggests that, while the tarte became aspecialty of the Hôtel Tatin, the sisters did not set out to create a"signature dish"; they never wrote a cookbook or published their recipe; they never even called it tarte Tatin. The tarte became a signature dish of the Hôtel Tatin. Historians and gourmets have argued whether it is a genuine creation of the Demoiselles Tatin, or the branding of an improved version of the "tarte solognote", a traditional dish named after the Sologne region which surrounds Lamotte-Beuvron. Research suggests that, while the tarte became a specialty of the Hôtel Tatin, the sisters did not set out to create a "signature dish"; they never wrote a cookbookor published their recipe; they never even called it tarte Tatin. That recognition was bestowed upon them by Curnonsky, famous French author and epicure, as well as the Parisian restaurant Maxim's after the sisters' deaths.Tarte Tatin is traditionnally made with apples, but other fruits, such as pears, prunes, peaches, apricots, berries can be used instead or in conjunction. An easy way to make a Tatin tart is using your set to bake delicious tarts, starting on the stove top and finishing in the oven. One single dish for the whole recipe! First make the caramel on the heat, then use the same dish directly in the oven for baking the pie. Turn out and present your tarte tatin directly on the serving platter. Emile Henry's products are made entirely by hand according to traditional methods and tell a beautiful family story, a story of tradition and qualities started in France year 1850.Built out of passion and love for the art of combining the earth with fire – for the art of ceramics, the small occupation of the Henry family has turned, in time, into a prestigious business with international recognition, due to the fact that the cooking utensils and dishes produced by this company they are distinguished by quality, utility, appearance and resistance, being without a doubt a mark of good taste and efficiency. This month you can get your Emile Henry tatin tart from Kitchen Shop with a 35% discount if you're a Kitchen Shop member.
Ingredients
- 4 pears
- 250 g cane sugar
- 150 g butter
- 400 g puff pastry
- 50 g almond flakes
Instructions
- First peel the pears and seeds and then cut them into thicker slices.
- Pre-heat your Tatin dish on a very low heat for two minutes (the lowest possible), try not to do it for more than 2 minutes.
- Add the butter and let it melt. When the butter is melted, add the sugar and mix. Let the caramel on low heat for 5-7 minutes. When the caramel is ready, turn off the heat and add the pear slices, then place the pastry on the top.
- Bake the tart for 20 minutes at 180 degrees on up down heat. Let the tart to cool for 10 minutes after you take it out from the oven.
- Place the serving platter on top of the dish and turn out the tart. To do this, hold the handles and the serving platter at the same time. Turn it towards you in one quick movement, and remove the dish to reveal your tart. Sprinkle some almond flakes and enjoy your tart!