Origin and curiosities of the Tarte Tatin

Who has not enjoyed a delicious Tarte Tatin ? It is a variant of apple pie, in which the apples have been caramelized before incorporating the dough. The most peculiar thing is that it is a cake that is prepared upside down: the apples are placed underneath and covered with the dough.

How did the idea for this cake come about? The story goes that it was created by accident at the 'Hotel Tatin' in France in the year 1889. The hotel was owned by two sisters, Stéphanie Tatin and Caroline Tatin. One of them cooked more apples than necessary and in order not to waste them, she placed the paste on top and baked it. Then he carefully turned it over and in this way this very special cake emerged.

This dessert was a hit with all the hotel guests. One of them, a Parisian pastry chef, was amazed at the taste of that cake and asked the cook to tell him the recipe.

Some time later the tart was found on the menu of the restaurant in Paris where the pastry chef worked who, in homage to the sisters who told him the secret of its preparation, named it tarte Tatin.

Today, the tarte Tatin is a classic of French gastronomy.

Photo:Tarte Tatin mold by Emile Henry

This dessert is one of the ones I prepare the most because it is easy to make and I really like it. I do it with theEmile Henry mold , special for Tarte Tatin, which allows me to make the complete recipe.

First of all I make the caramel directly on the fire and then I bake it in the same dish. Finally I unmold and present the cake included in the tray. All in one!

In addition, this mold allows me to cook other recipes such as rice, because I can maintain the heat diffusion properties of the ceramic and I get a great presentation on the table. It can be used on any type of stove or heating system, and I can clean it in the dishwasher.

In my recipes section you will find how I prepare the original tarte Tatin , the apple one. It should be said that it is one of the most versioned recipes: there are many varieties with all kinds of fruits and even salty ones. On the Los Tragaldabas blog, I found this fantastic version: Cherry Tomato Tarte Tatin, which I think is a great idea and looks like it has to be a real delight.

Do you have any version of the Tarte Tatin? I would love to know your recipes or some tricks to give a different touch to this mythical dessert.

Sources: Wikipedia and the blog ' Los Tragaldabas '.