Recipe for tart tatin with apples and nutmeg cream by Marcus Wareing

“My very first attempt at making an apple tarte tatin was during a competition at the Savoy Hotel in London – talk about being thrown in at the deep end! It didn’t go well,” admits Marcus Wareing.

“I didn’t know you had to caramelize the apples, which I quickly realized is the key to a perfect tarte tatin. I’m happy to say that I’ve mastered the technique ever since and this recipe is both foolproof and delicious.

Tarte Tatin with apples and nutmeg cream

Ingredients:
(For 6 to 8 people, preparation time 20 minutes, cooking time 50 minutes)

1 sheet of 320 g all-butter puff pastry, already rolled
Plain flour, for dusting
100 g cold, softened butter
100g golden caster sugar
2 cardamom pods, gently crushed with a rolling pin to release flavor
1 stick of cinnamon
6-7 Braeburn apples, peeled and quartered

For the nutmeg cream:
200 ml double or whipped cream
A grate of fresh nutmeg

Method:

1. To make the tarte tatin, roll out the puff pastry on a floured work surface to about three millimeters thick and cut around a plate to form a large circle, just larger than the mold you will use to make it. the pie. Cut three small slits in the dough to allow steam to escape and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator to rest while you prepare the rest of the pie.

2. Spread the softened butter in an even layer on the bottom of an 8- to 9-inch ovenproof skillet. Cover with the sugar and spices in another even layer. Arrange the apples on top in a spiral, layering them on top of each other.

3. Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 7.

4. Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat and cook until the butter and sugar start to bubble and form a caramel, this will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat then place the circle of dough on the apples, tucking the dough into the edges of the mold using a spoon. Be careful, it will be very hot!

5. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the nutmeg cream by whipping the cream until it reaches soft peaks. Pour into a serving bowl and grate a little fresh nutmeg on top.

7. Run a small knife inside the mold to remove the caramelized paste. Place a large plate on top of the tarte tatin in the mold and carefully invert the mold and plate. Slowly lift the mold to unmold the tart. Serve with the nutmeg cream on the side.

Marcus’s France by Marcus Wareing is published in hardback by Harper NonFiction, priced £22. Photography by Matt Russell (2024). Available now.