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Mini Apple Tartes Tatin
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- Total Time
- About 2 hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
- 1teaspoon light corn syrup
- 4tablespoons/55 grams unsalted butter (½ stick), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3medium Granny Smith or other tart, firm apples, peeled
- 8ounces/225 grams puff pastry, preferably all-butter, thawed in the refrigerator
Preparation
- Step 1
Place ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and corn syrup, increase heat to high, and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture caramelizes into a deep amber brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Once it starts turning brown, swirl often and keep a close eye on it.
- Step 2
Remove from the heat, and whisk in butter until melted and smooth. Divide among six 4-to 6-ounce ramekins, or among the cups of a nonstick 6-muffin tin.
- Step 3
Cut the apples in half from top to bottom. Use a melon baller or the tip of a knife to core the apple halves. Trim off any remaining peels and stems, and cut around the edges so each apple half is about the same diameter as each ramekin. Place the apple halves face down on a work surface, then slice into ½-inch-thick pieces, keeping the slices together so the shape of the apple half stays intact. Tuck each apple half into a ramekin or cup, with the flat side facing up and the curved back nestling into the caramel.
- Step 4
Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out or unfold the pastry and prick all over with a fork. Using a biscuit cutter or a knife, cut out six pastry rounds that are slightly larger than the ramekins (about ½ inch of dough all the way around). Keep pastry rounds chilled until ready to use.
- Step 5
Place the pastry rounds on top of the ramekins or cups. Working your way around, use forefingers and thumbs to turn the pastry edges up and away from the apples, as if making a little round stand for each tart. Crimp the edges a bit. Tuck the pastry rounds slightly down into the ramekins; do not seal. Place the ramekins or muffin tin on a baking sheet lined with a nonstick liner or parchment paper.
- Step 6
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the puff pastry is golden brown, the apples are fork-tender but not mushy, and the caramel is thick and bubbling, about 10 minutes more depending on the apples. To test, after 10 minutes, remove from the oven and slip a fork into one tart. The apples should be cooked through. Let cool in the ramekins or cups for at least 1 hour, to allow the apples to absorb the caramel.
- Step 7
When ready to serve, heat oven to 350 degrees. Reheat the tarts for 3 minutes (to soften the caramel) before inverting onto individual dishes. If using a muffin tin, cover the tin with a baking sheet and use both hands to flip the pans over, so the tarts fall out onto the baking sheet. Don’t worry if some of the caramel runs out.
- You can bake up to 12 hours in advance and let cool completely in the baking pans. When ready to serve, reheat in a 325-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the caramel is melted.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
What is a good substitute for the corn syrup? Maple syrup? Simple syrup? I just don't have any need otherwise for corn syrup.
You can make a corn syrup substitute with water, sugar and cream of tartar. Check online for a basic recipe.
I would use Lyle’s Golden Syrup instead of corn syrup. Love it in Pecan pie, too.
i've used honey in hot fudge when the recipe calls for corn syrup and it works well!
julia, would subbing honey for the caramel ingredients work for this recipe? thank you.
If you're substituting Lyle's for corn syrup, would the measurements stay the same?
What fun this was and easy and delicious. I reduced all ingredients by a third for the two of us. Two individual ramekins. Took only a half hour of prep, including swirling the caramel. Expect to make this again and again.
Delicious! I was worried when the caramel solidified to a rock as it cooled in the ramekins, but it was diluted by apple juices and absorbed into cooked apples; the finished caramel syrup remained soft, even when cooled.
Thank you for including Nutritional Info.
Amazing! This was a hit for Thanksgiving. We baked them in small ramekins with lids. Very easy to assemble and people love the presentation. Little do they know it's making your life easier making it this way. We used maple syrup instead of corn syrup.
I have made this three times lately with apples and then pears. Using individual small cut puff pastry squares from Lidle. They are delicious and can easily be reheated in the oven. Addictively good. I’ve baked them in muffin tins and custard ramekins both work well. They look gorgeous too. Don’t be afraid they are easier than you think once you get the hang of them!!
First time making and it was much easier than anticipated. Fabulous results. Will make again!
I never add corn syrup to my caramel and it's fine as long as you get to caramelization temperature (golden brown). Crystals will only form if the sugar is not fully caramelized.
Second time around: even better than I remembered! Made them this time with puff pastry in a muffin tin - made 5 mini tartes, but I think I could've crammed more caramel into each and made 4 (or even 3?). (I made half the recipe again, obvs.)
Had problems with the caramel.. it never got dark or think, and then it separated with the addition of the butter. Maybe needs more corn syrup or add sweetened condensed milk? Tasty in the end but not caramely.
I thought I had caramelized the sugar too long because it was hard and candied when cooling. I could barely get it out of the pot. I just gave it some heat to soften it and quickly scooped out the caramelized sugar into the greased cupcake tins and follow the recipe. Once the Mini Apple Tartes Tatins were given the final reheating the candied sugar became a beautiful thick sauce dripping over the apples. Delicious!
Pour the syrup in the cups just after adding the butter - it does solidify, but it will be the right consistency after baking. I thought I overcooked it the first couple of times- so I made another batch- so not necessary. I also tried it with sliced fresh figs- worked really well. I topped them with a spiced custard I had leftover from an apple pie experiment. If I try it with figs again, I might add some ginger to the syrup.
I love this recipe but the apples are coming out mushy. Should I shorten the cooking time at 400 or at 375 ... or both? Maybe nix the 375 session altogether?
Delicious! I was worried when the caramel solidified to a rock as it cooled in the ramekins, but it was diluted by apple juices and absorbed into cooked apples; the finished caramel syrup remained soft, even when cooled.
I found this tricky to get out of the muffin pan. I really think the more classic method of drawing hot caramel up and over the apples repeatedly gives a richer flavor.
What fun this was and easy and delicious. I reduced all ingredients by a third for the two of us. Two individual ramekins. Took only a half hour of prep, including swirling the caramel. Expect to make this again and again.
I could have used a temperature reading for the caramel, perhaps soft ball stage. I ended up with sugardaddy on the bottom of the muffin tins.
I tried making the caramel twice- the first time after adding the butter the entire thing instantly crystallized (cooked too long apparently). The second time it remained syrupy (not cooked long enough?) The sugar I used was "natural" so maybe that made a difference- I'll try again with "less natural" sugar- it would be helpful if there would be a temperature point to aim for instead of color. The end result of the too syrupy batch was good - but not, I think, what was intended.
Would it be possible to make these through step 5 and then freeze the completed ramekins to bake on a later date?
I am wondering the same thing. I don't think uncooked apples freeze well, so I'd be more inclined to freeze them after completion of the recipe, then thaw before reheating (which the recipe says can be done). I'll probably try that!
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