Tarte Tatin facts for kids
The Tarte Tatin is a famous French dessert that looks a bit like an upside-down apple pie! It's named after the hotel where it was first made. Instead of putting the crust on the bottom, the fruit (usually apples) is placed at the bottom of the pan, then covered with a pastry crust. When it's baked, you flip it over, and the delicious caramelized fruit is on top!
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What is Tarte Tatin?
Tarte Tatin is a special kind of pastry known as an upside-down cake. This means the main ingredients, like fruit, are put into the baking dish first. Then, the pastry dough goes on top. When the dessert is ready, you flip it over, and the bottom becomes the top!
The fruit, most often apples, is cooked in butter and sugar until it becomes sweet and golden. This process is called caramelization. It gives the apples a wonderful, rich flavor and a soft texture.
The Story Behind Tarte Tatin
The Tarte Tatin comes from France. It was created by accident, which makes its story even more interesting! The dessert is named after the Tatin sisters, Caroline and Stéphanie Tatin. They owned a hotel and restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron, a town in central France, in the 1880s.
One day, Stéphanie Tatin, who did most of the cooking, was very busy. She was making an apple pie, but she might have been a bit rushed or distracted. Some stories say she accidentally baked the pie upside down, while others suggest she dropped the tart and quickly put it back together with the apples on the bottom. Either way, she served it to her guests, and they loved it! The dessert became a signature dish at their hotel.
How Tarte Tatin is Made
Making a Tarte Tatin involves a few key steps:
- First, butter and sugar are melted in a round pan, often one that can go from the stovetop to the oven.
- Next, sliced apples are carefully arranged over the butter and sugar. They are packed tightly so there are no gaps.
- The apples are cooked on the stovetop for a while. This helps them soften and caramelize, creating a sweet, sticky sauce.
- Finally, a layer of pastry dough is placed over the apples. The dough is tucked in around the edges.
- The tart is then baked in the oven until the crust is golden brown and flaky.
- Once it's out of the oven, the tart needs to cool slightly. Then, the exciting part happens: it's carefully flipped onto a serving plate! The caramelized apples, now on top, look beautiful and taste amazing.
Ingredients You Need
The main ingredients for Tarte Tatin are simple but combine to make something delicious:
- Apples: Firm, slightly tart apples work best, as they hold their shape and balance the sweetness.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps with the caramelization.
- Sugar: Creates the sweet caramel sauce.
- Pastry Dough: Usually a shortcrust or puff pastry is used for the crust.
Tarte Tatin is often served warm, sometimes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche (a type of thick cream).
Images for kids
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Caroline and Stéphanie Tatin
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Tarte Tatin, just out of the oven, not yet glazed.
See also
In Spanish: Tarta Tatin para niños
