Apple Tarte Tatin

Today my fellow holiday food bloggers group members and I are celebrating the upcoming Bastille Day.  So what is that, exactly, other than an excuse to eat French food?  In short, it's the French National Day that commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution with the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th 1790.  And we're all about helping the French celebrate this occasion.  Here in New York there are actually quite a few celebrations and fairs on Bastille Day so...bring on the French food!

There's no shortage of great French pastries and I pretty much like them all.  But there's always been a special place in my heart for tarte tatin.

I still remember the first time I had it in a restaurant, many years ago, and it was like nothing I'd ever tasted before.  Fruit, caramelized in butter and sugar on top of a moist cake.  So good.  And what better time than this holiday to finally make it myself and to happily discover that it's not very complicated at all.  Enjoy!






Ingredients
1 Stick unsalted butter
1 Cup sugar
1 Pinch salt
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 Eggs
2/3 Cup sugar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1/3 Cup sour cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1 Cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, melt the stick of butter over medium heat and stir in the cup of sugar.  Let it dissolve until it turns into a syrupy liquid.

Butter a 9" glass pie pan and arrange the apple slices on the bottom.  Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the apples.

In a large bowl, cream together the eggs and 2/3 cup of sugar with a stand or hand mixer.  Beat in the 6 tablespoons of butter, sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and slowly incorporate into the wet mixture.  Pour the batter evenly over the apples and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool for at least half an hour then place a large plate over the top and invert.  If a piece of apple sticks, just ease it out of the pan and place on top.  Makes approximately 8 servings.

Check out the other French goodies from my fellow bloggers!

1. Apple Tarte Tatin from Hungry Couple
2. Chaussons aux Pêches from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
3. Dark Chocolate Lavender Sables from gotta get baked
4. Chocolate Cherry Brioche from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
5. Gougères (Herbed Cheese Puffs) from Crumb
6. Mendiant from Cravings of a Lunatic
7. Lemon Raspberry Madeleines from Kelly Bakes
8. Chocolate Orange Torte from What Smells So Good?
9. Cherry Clafoutis from Pineapple and Coconut
10. Meyer Lemon Fingerling Potato Salad from Magnolia Days