Apple and Persimmon Tarte Tatin

From the kitchen of Carly

Caramelized apples and persimmons arranged in buttery sugar, topped with a golden puff pastry crust. When you flip it over, you get a glossy, burnished fruit tart with crisp edges and tender, jammy fruit. Serve warm with cream.

Apple and Persimmon Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin lives or dies on the caramel, and brandy-sweetened fruit is the secret. Apples alone can turn grainy or flat, but persimmons add a delicate floral note that keeps things interesting. The trick is patience during that slow caramelize: watch the color shift from amber to deep gold, and you get a bitter-sweet base that makes the puff pastry topping taste even more buttery.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/4 cupunsalted butter
  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 1/2vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1/8 tspkosher salt
  • 1 tbspplus 1 teaspoon brandy, divided
  • 2 lbPink Lady or other crisp apples , peeled, cored, quartered
  • 1 lbFuyu persimmons , peeled, halved
  • 1sheet frozen puff pastry , thawed
  • 1All-purpose flour
  • 1 cupheavy cream
  • 1An 11" cast-iron or heavy-duty ovenproof skillet

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in an 11 inch skillet over medium heat, brushing the sides of the skillet with butter as it melts. Sprinkle the sugar evenly across the bottom and scrape in the vanilla seeds (save the pod for another use). Cook undisturbed until the sugar is evenly moistened, about 1 minute. Stir in the salt and 1 tablespoon of brandy, then pull the pan off the heat.

  2. Arrange as many apples as will fit, rounded side down, in a tightly packed ring around the outside edge of the skillet; reserve the rest. Fill the center with persimmons, rounded side down. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook until the juices begin to bubble, about 2 minutes. Drop the heat to medium-low and keep cooking. As the apples shrink, nudge the reserved raw apples into any gaps (saving any extras for another use), until the apples are tender and the caramel turns deep golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, set a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F. Place the skillet on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.

  4. Roll the puff pastry out gently on a lightly floured surface, smoothing any creases. Cut into a round that fits snugly inside the skillet, flush with the edge. Drape the pastry over the apples. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

  5. Move the skillet to a wire rack and let the bubbling caramel settle, about 5 minutes. Gently run a butter knife around the edges of the skillet, then set a lipped platter upside down over the top. Using pot holders to grip skillet and platter together tightly, flip the tart out onto the platter. With a table knife or rubber spatula, lift any fruit that stuck to the skillet back onto the tart, then brush any extra caramel from the skillet across the top. Let cool at least 15 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, beat the cream to medium peaks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, then fold in the remaining 1 teaspoon of brandy. Serve the tart with the whipped cream.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Don't stir the sugar once you add the brandy. Let it caramelize undisturbed for the first minute so it builds color evenly across the pan bottom.
  • As apples cook down and create gaps, fill them in with raw apple pieces. This keeps the surface tightly packed and prevents bare spots from burning.
  • The five-minute rest after baking is non-negotiable. It lets the caramel set just enough to hold the tart together when you flip it, but still stays tender.

Variations

  • Skip the brandy and use a tablespoon of dark rum instead for a deeper, spicier caramel.
  • Swap half the apples for small pear quarters, halved lengthwise, for a softer fruit contrast.
  • Add a pinch of cardamom to the sugar before cooking for a subtle warmth that plays off the vanilla and persimmon.

Make ahead and storage

Eat the same day for the best pastry texture, though leftovers keep covered in the fridge for two days. Reheat gently in a low oven (300°F) for about 10 minutes if you want to bring back some pastry crispness.