Saffron Honey & Apple Tarte Tatin

  • Prep Time:
  • 45 mins
  • Cook Time:
  • 40 mins
  • Total Time:
  • 1 hour(s)
  • 25 mins

This twist on the classic French dessert gets a aromatic boost from savory Saffron Honey from KL Keller Foodways. The delicate floral notes of the saffron blended with orange blossom honey pair beautifully with juicy, tart apples. Serve with whipped crème fraîche flavored with a touch of orange blossom water. 

Recipe by Asha Loupy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons ice water
  • 3-4 large tart, firm apples, such as Granny Smith or Braeburn (about 2 pounds)
  • Fleur de sel, for garnishing

Instructions

For the dough, add the flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Cut 8 tablespoons of the unsalted butter into cubes, add them to the flour mixture and pulse 5-10 times until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of ice water and continue to pulse until the dough starts to come together, adding more water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Remove the dough from the food processor, form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

While the dough is resting and the oven is preheating, peel, core and quarter the apples. Then in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the honey and let cook for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.

Remove the skillet from the heat and arrange the peeled apple quarters in consentric circles to fit the pan (you may need to cut a couple of the apple quarter in half to fill in any empty spaces).

Take the dough out of the refrigerator, place on a lightly-floured surface and roll into about a 10-inch round. Place the dough on top of the apples and bake until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes. Make sure to place the skillet on a foil-lined baking sheet, just in case the juices bubble over the side of the skillet.

Let the tarte tatin rest in the skillet for about 5 minutes after coming out of the oven. Then place a plate on top of the skillet and carefully invert the tarte tatin onto the plate. Let cool to room temperature, garnish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel and enjoy!