What is a Tarte Tatin?
Tarte tatin is a French upside down tart. The fruit cooks beneath the pastry, then the whole thing gets flipped to reveal a glossy, caramelised top. The straightforward method belies its impressive appearance.
The traditional version uses apples, though pears, plums and apricots all work well. These sugar free recipes let you enjoy the dish without the refined sugar that typically forms the caramel layer.
Find the best sugar-free alternatives for any recipe with exact conversion ratios. Enter what you are baking or cooking and the type of sugar to replace.
Try our Sugar Substitute Finder free, here on this site →Sugar Free Apple Tarte Tatin
This recipe uses a sweet shortcrust pastry made with granulated sweetener. Check the packaging on your chosen sweetener for any conversion guidance, as they can vary in sweetness. Not all sweeteners behave the same way when heated, so erythritol or allulose tend to work better than stevia for caramelisation. If you prefer, a plain shortcrust pastry works perfectly well. The fruit topping provides enough sweetness to carry a less sweet base.
For the pastry:
- 175g plain flour
- 85g cold butter, cubed
- One tablespoon granulated sweetener
- One egg yolk
- One tablespoon cold water
For the topping:
- Six large eating apples
- One lemon
- One 250g jar sugar free apricot jam
- 85g butter
Method:
Heat your oven to 220°C, 425°F or gas mark 7. To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sweetener, then add the egg yolk and water. Bring together into a dough, wrap in a reusable food wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
Peel, core and quarter the apples. Squeeze the lemon juice over them to prevent browning. Melt the butter in an ovenproof frying pan or tarte tatin dish over a medium heat. Add the jam and stir until combined. Arrange the apple quarters in the pan, cut side up, packing them tightly.
Roll out the pastry to fit the top of your pan. Lay it over the apples and tuck the edges down around the fruit. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Allow to cool for five minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving plate.
Sugar Free Pear Tarte Tatin
Pears make a lovely alternative to apples. Choose firm pears that will hold their shape during cooking. Conference pears tend to work well for this.
Follow the same method as the apple version, using six medium pears in place of the apples. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C, 400°F or gas mark 6, and check the tart after 20 minutes. Ovens vary, so watch the pastry colour. The fruit should be soft but not collapsing when you turn out the tart.
Serving Suggestions
Tarte tatin works well at room temperature or just slightly warm. Some prefer it straight from the oven when the pastry is at its crispest.
A spoonful of cream, sugar free custard or vanilla ice cream makes a good accompaniment. If you want something lighter, crème fraîche cuts through the richness nicely.
The tart keeps reasonably well for a day or two, covered and stored somewhere cool. The pastry will soften over time, so it is best eaten within 24 hours if you want it at its crispest.
Other fruit variations worth trying include apricots, which work particularly well in summer, or plums when they are in season during late summer and early autumn.
