Tarte tatin
Encyclopedia
Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart
in which the fruit (usually apples) are caramelized
in butter and sugar before the tart is baked.
, France in 1898. The hotel was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin. There are conflicting stories concerning the tart's origin, but the predominant one is that Stéphanie Tatin, who did most of the cooking, was overworked one day. She started to make a traditional apple pie
but left the apples cooking in butter and sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven. After turning out the upside down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert. In an alternative version of the tart's origin, Stéphanie baked a caramelized apple tart upside-down by mistake. Regardless she served her guests the unusual dish hot from the oven and a classic was born. However, regardless of the veracity of this story, the concept of the "upside down tarts" was not a new one. For instance, pattissier M.A. Carême already mentions glaced gâteaux renversées adorned with apples from Rouen or other fruit in his "Patissier Royal Parisien" (1841).
The Tarte became a signature dish
at the Hotel Tatin and the recipe spread through the Sologne
region. Its lasting fame is probably due to the restaurateur Louis Vaudable, who tasted the tart on a visit to Sologne and made the dessert a permanent fixture on the menu at his restaurant Maxim's Paris
.
apples, which are not the type used for American-style apple pie.
Tarte Tatin can also be made with pears, peach
es, pineapple
, tomatoes, other fruit, or vegetables, such as onion.
Tart
A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard....
in which the fruit (usually apples) are caramelized
Caramelization
Caramelization is the browning of sugar, a process used extensively in cooking for the resulting nutty flavor and brown color. As the process occurs, volatile chemicals are released, producing the characteristic caramel flavor....
in butter and sugar before the tart is baked.
History
Pronounced "Tart Tat-in", tradition says that the Tarte Tatin was first created by accident at the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-BeuvronLamotte-Beuvron
Lamotte-Beuvron is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France. The town is located in Sologne on the banks of the Beuvron river.Lamotte-Beuvron is served by the A71 autoroute and the Route nationale 20.-See also:* Tarte Tatin...
, France in 1898. The hotel was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin. There are conflicting stories concerning the tart's origin, but the predominant one is that Stéphanie Tatin, who did most of the cooking, was overworked one day. She started to make a traditional apple pie
Apple pie
An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. It is sometimes served with whipped cream or ice cream on top...
but left the apples cooking in butter and sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven. After turning out the upside down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert. In an alternative version of the tart's origin, Stéphanie baked a caramelized apple tart upside-down by mistake. Regardless she served her guests the unusual dish hot from the oven and a classic was born. However, regardless of the veracity of this story, the concept of the "upside down tarts" was not a new one. For instance, pattissier M.A. Carême already mentions glaced gâteaux renversées adorned with apples from Rouen or other fruit in his "Patissier Royal Parisien" (1841).
The Tarte became a signature dish
Signature dish
A signature dish is a recipe that identifies an individual chef. Ideally it should be unique and allow an informed gastronome to name the chef in a blind tasting. It can be thought of as the culinary equivalent of an artist finding their own style, or an author finding their own voice...
at the Hotel Tatin and the recipe spread through the Sologne
Sologne
Sologne , a region of north-central France extending over portions of the départements of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher and Cher...
region. Its lasting fame is probably due to the restaurateur Louis Vaudable, who tasted the tart on a visit to Sologne and made the dessert a permanent fixture on the menu at his restaurant Maxim's Paris
Maxim's Paris
Maxim's is the name of a restaurant in Paris, France, located at No. 3 of the rue Royale. It is known for its art nouveau interior decor.-History:...
.
Ingredients
Tarte Tatin has to be made with firm dessert apples, usually sliced in halves: cooking apples will not do as they mulch down into a purée. In North America, Tarte Tatin is typically made with Golden DeliciousGolden Delicious
The Golden Delicious is a cultivar of apple with a yellow color. It is not closely related to the Red Delicious apple.- Appearance and flavor :...
apples, which are not the type used for American-style apple pie.
Tarte Tatin can also be made with pears, peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
es, pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
, tomatoes, other fruit, or vegetables, such as onion.