While this elegant pastry is originally from the French, a few additions quickly turn it into a Dutch daydream. This Pear Tarte Tatin is all about striking, sophisticated flavors and a ooey, gooey presentation, with a touch of richness. We’re focusing on bold, warming contrasts by swapping the usual apple for tender, juicy pears. To really indulge, we add a homemade, tangy appelstroop (a concentrated Dutch fruit syrup) creating a deep caramel base that also features the sharp bite of fresh ginger and the crunch of walnuts. It’s a deceptively easy showstopper that transforms the simple upside-down structure into a truly memorable finale for any autumn dinner party.
To give your Pear Tarte Tatin the best flavor possible, make the appelstroop from scratch with our homemade recipe.
Print
Pear Tarte Tatin with Walnuts, Ginger and Appelstroop
Description
The pears in this tarte tatin highlight the sweetness of the pears in the appelstroop.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4.2 oz flour
- 4.4 oz butter
- 4.4 oz cream cheese
- ½ tsp salt
For the filling:
- 2 lb pears
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 oz butter
- 2½ oz white castor sugar
- 2 large tbsp Apple Pear Syrup (Appelstroop)
- 2 oz roasted walnuts
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the dough into a bowl.
- Knead by hand to a ball and let it rest for an hour in the fridge.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out a circle of 12 inches in diameter.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel the pears, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the core.
- Toss the pears with lemon juice, zest, and ginger.
- Melt the butter in the tarte tatin pan and stir in the sugar and syrup.
- Lower the heat to its lowest setting.
- Place the pears and walnuts in the pan, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Take the pan from the heat and cover with the dough.
- Tuck in any excess dough for a rustic look.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake the tarte tatin for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and crispy.
- Let the cake cool down for 10 minutes.
- Turn it upside down on a plate and serve.
Notes
Use a wide and shallow pan or tarte tatin pan, about 12 inches in diameter.
Recipes and Food Styling by Ingmar Niezen
Photography by Maarten van der Wal
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
