Tarte Tatin, its history and our selection of the best addresses

Anne Debbasch | 2/21/24

We all know the legend of the Tatin sisters, who in the 19th century forgot to put the pastry in the bottom of their mold and added it to the top during baking. Today, this inverted dessert continues to inspire pastry chefs and cooks alike.

Its fundamentals: ultra-melting caramelized apples and a crisp pastry, usually shortcrust, for an emblematic tart that's baked upside down, but eaten right side up! Traditionally, it's best prepared in a copper mould, generously lined with butter and powdered sugar, then with apple wedges sprinkled with sugar to caramelize. The thinly rolled-out shortcrust pastry is then placed on top of the fruit before the tart is put in the oven. Today, every chef has his or her own version. There are a multitude of interpretations: the fruit and type of pastry vary, and baking is sometimes done separately.

Pascal and Julien Lac

The Lac family is a fan of gourmet delights, and their Tarte Tatin is a prime example. " We roast Golden apples in the oven with butter caramel and fleur de sel. For the pastry, we chose a sweet almond pastry topped with a frangipane cream for even more deliciousness ", confides Julien Lac. For the crunch, the apples are surrounded by deliciously crumbly pieces of crumble dough. We'll be back for more!

12 rue de la Préfecture, Nice
Read Gault&Millau's review of Pâtisserie Lac

Benoit Castel, Paris

Recycled and anti-waste, Benoit Castel's tarte Tatin is a model of its kind. The artisan had the idea of creating a jelly by recovering apple cores and skins instead of throwing them away. He begins by boiling the fruit remains, then recovers the filtered water to transform it into vegetable jelly. The Royale Gala is then cut into very thin slices, candied with sugar and ginger, and layered on a crumbly Breton shortbread. He then covers the whole with a generous layer of jelly. A must!

150 rue de Ménilmontant, Paris
Read Gault&Millau's review of Benoît Castel

Boulangerie Mie Mie, Paris

Opened in July 2022, Amélia Bel and Antonin Ballu created the boulangerie Mie Mie by choosing quality. For her tarte Tatin, Eve, the pastry chef, makes a Breton hazelnut shortbread on which she places caramelized GoldenGolden apples arranged like petals, and a touch of Isigny cream chosen for its light acidity. " We combine product quality with an eco-responsible approach. Added to this, of course, is know-how, conviviality and pleasure. "An apple blossom you'll want to try.

25 rue Sedaine, Paris
www.instagram.com/boulangeriemiemie

©SimonAngebaud

Maison Pralus, Roanne

For the Pralus family, Tarte Tatin has been a staple from father to son. Their choice of shortcrust pastry is topped with Canada apples candied in caramel, then topped with an apple confit flavored with Madagascan vanilla. For added indulgence, the tart is accompanied by a quenelle of vanilla bavaroise. A dessert that has the Roanne crowd on the run!

Halles Diderot, Roanne
Read Gault&Millau's review of Maison Pralus

Matthieu Hervé, Château de Montcaud, Sabran

" I'm originally from Normandy, and it's a tradition with us to prepare a tarte tatin every Sunday in winter. The apples are finely sliced with a Japanese mandolin, then assembled in an apple millefeuille and placed on a thin puff pastry. Served with brioche perdue ice cream, fontainebleau mousse, streusel bits and liquid caramel, the Tatin has gone from strength to strength.