Autumn brings an abundance of apples, and when there are bushels-ful, it’s time to make dessert. This upside-down apple tart is a classic French dessert, known as a tarte tatin. It requires the fruit to simmer in a slick of butter and sugar until a burnished caramel forms and the fruit softens. Apples are fine fall contenders for this seasonal tart. They are firm enough to hold their shape while acquiescing to the bubbling caramel, as they soften and release their flavorful juices into the filling. Once inverted, the fruit on the bottom of the pan becomes the glorious, lacquered top to the tarte.
A simple sour cream pastry is a go-to base for the tart. It yields a crumbly cookie-like crust, which is irregular and forgiving—helpful for the novice baker. As the tart bakes in the oven, the caramel from the fruit filling will bubble up in spots through the crust. The crust will continue to bake, and when it’s finished and cooling, the wayward caramel will harden and coat the crust with a shiny shellac of sweetness.
