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The tarte tatin's origin story involves a mistake: Stéphanie Tatin, co-owner of the Hôtel Tatin in Sologne in the 1880s, allegedly forgot to line the pan with pastry before adding the apples, and placed the dough on top instead. Whether true or invented for charm, the technique works better than the original: caramel forms as butter and sugar cook with the apples directly on the stovetop, then the pastry lid goes on and the whole pan goes into the oven, and when it's inverted the apple juices have concentrated into a dark, bitter-sweet glaze that nothing baked right-side up can replicate. The apples must be firm enough to hold their shape through two stages of heat — Golden Delicious or reinette varieties are the standard French choice. Room-temperature crème fraîche, not whipped cream, is the correct accompaniment.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Set aside.
In a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet or cast-iron pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns a deep golden brown and caramelizes. Be careful not to burn it.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Carefully arrange the apple quarters in the caramel in a circular pattern, placing them tightly together. They will shrink as they cook, so pack them in tightly.
Return the skillet to medium heat and cook the apples for about 10-15 minutes, basting them with the caramel occasionally, until they start to soften.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to a size slightly larger than your skillet.
Carefully place the puff pastry over the apples, tucking the edges down around the apples inside the skillet.
Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
Carefully run a knife around the edges of the skillet to loosen the tart.
Place a large serving plate over the skillet and, using oven mitts, carefully invert the skillet and plate together to release the tart onto the plate.
Serve the Tarte Tatin warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
Upside-down caramelized apple tart: pastry on top during baking, flipped before serving to reveal the dark, glossy caramel glaze that forms as butter, sugar, and apple juices concentrate on the stovetop.
Hôtel Tatin in Sologne, late 19th century; the story involves a mistake (forgotten pastry lining) that led to a superior technique. Later popularized by Maxim's restaurant in Paris.
Firm apples (Golden Delicious or reinette varieties), unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and short-crust or puff pastry. Vanilla extract adds depth to the caramel.
Cook the apples in the caramel on the stovetop until very tender and dark before adding the pastry — underdone apples are the most common failure. The apples shrink as they cook, so pack them tightly.
Crème fraîche at room temperature (not whipped cream, which is too cold and heavy), or vanilla ice cream. The crème fraîche's slight tang balances the bitter-sweet caramel.