I wish you could have smelled my kitchen while this Apricot Tarte Tatin with Lemon Caramel was baking. This tarte is both sweet and tangy, finished with beautifully caramelised apricots.
I simply love apricot desserts. Apricots are often underrated in baking, but they make delightful desserts when treated right.
Like my Apricot Crumble, this recipe features ripe fresh apricots as the star. This Upside-Down Apricot Tart is a lovely way to enjoy the season.
What is a Tarte Tatin
A classic French Tarte Tatin is essentially an upside-down tart. It has two main components: a pastry (here a pâte brisée) and a fruit topping. As with upside-down cakes, you can use many fruits — pears, peaches, apples or apricots all work beautifully.
Tarte Tatin can also be savoury: use an unsweetened pastry and caramelise vegetables for a delicious variation. The method is simple — caramelise the fruit (or vegetables) in the pan, top with pastry, bake, then invert the tart so the caramelised side faces up.
Homemade Pâte Brisée
For this tarte I use a classic pâte brisée, a French shortcrust-style pastry. While English often groups several French tart pastries under “shortcrust,” each variation (pâte sucrée, pâte sablée, pâte feuilletée and pâte brisée) has its own texture and purpose.
What makes pâte brisée distinct is the use of cold butter and minimal handling. Work quickly and keep ingredients cold so the butter doesn’t melt — this yields a flaky, tender crust. It’s straightforward and versatile: just flour, sugar, butter and water, following roughly a 2:1 flour-to-butter ratio. Chill the dough before rolling to prevent shrinking in the oven. A food processor speeds the process, but you can make it by hand as well.
Some recipes I use this pastry for include a feta asparagus quiche and a chocolate cherry tart.
How to make a Lemon Caramel
The second essential element is the lemon caramel used to cook the apricots. Rather than a cream-based caramel, this version is made in a pan and kept simple: butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and a little water.
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Water
The lemon brightens and balances the sweetness, giving the caramel a tangy lift. If you prefer a very sweet caramel you can omit the lemon, but the citrus adds a welcome complexity that complements apricots especially well.
Putting the Tarte Tatin together
With the pastry chilled and the apricots caramelising, it’s time to assemble. I like using a springform pan lined with baking paper to make flipping easier, though a tart pan with a removable bottom works well too. The caramel will continue to cook in the oven and can bubble up at the edges, so a removable base helps.
Arrange the caramelised apricot halves in the pan, cut side up, packing them tightly. Spoon any remaining lemon caramel over the fruit and let it cool slightly before covering with the rolled pâte brisée. If the fruit and caramel are too hot they can soften the pastry butter.
Roll the dough into a rough circle and cover the apricots, tucking and sealing the edges. Cut a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake until the pastry is golden and cooked through, then let the tart rest briefly before inverting so the caramel can settle. Serve warm.
Feeling ‘Upside-Down’? Here are a few other recipe ideas:
- Red Wine Pear Tarte Tatin
- Upside-Down Blackberry Cake
- Persimmon Upside-Down Cake
- Caramelised Apple Upside Down Cake
- Plum Upside Down Cake
Made this recipe?
Leave a comment to tell us what you thought, and tag @a.baking.journey on Instagram with your photo!
Recipe
Apricot Tarte Tatin with Lemon Caramel
Ingredients
Pate Brisee
- 1 cup (160 g) Plain Flour
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 3 oz (80 g) Cold Butter
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Cold Water
- 1/4 teasp. Cinnamon Powder Optional
Apricots and Lemon Caramel
- 7 Small Apricots
- 3.5 oz (100 g) Butter
- 1/3 cup (60 g) Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Water
Instructions
Pate Brisee
- Put the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon (if using) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. If you don’t have a processor, rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two forks.
- Add the cold butter, cut into small cubes, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Avoid overworking so the butter stays in small pieces.
- Add the cold water and mix briefly until the dough just starts to come together. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap and chill until firm.
Apricots and Lemon Caramel
- Wash and halve the apricots.
- In a large pan, melt the butter with the brown sugar, then add the lemon juice and water. Add the apricots, cut side up, and cook on low for 20–30 minutes, turning occasionally so both sides caramelise.
To assemble the Apricot Tarte Tatin with Lemon Caramel
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Line a springform or tart pan with baking paper. Arrange the apricot halves tightly in the pan, cut side up. Spoon any remaining caramel over the fruit and let it cool slightly.
- Roll the pâte brisée into a rough circle, cover the apricots, and press the edges to seal. Cut a small hole in the centre to vent steam.
- Bake 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked. Remove carefully — hot caramel may bubble — and cool on a rack for about 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm.
- If not serving immediately, warm the tart for 5–10 minutes in the oven or briefly under the grill to refresh the caramelisation.
- Optional: sprinkle desiccated coconut and orange zest over the tart before serving.
Notes
- If making the pastry by hand, sift the dry ingredients, cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks, then add water and quickly bring the dough together. Chill before rolling.