The tarte tatin is the rare dessert with a legend attached. The story credits Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin, who ran the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, in the Sologne south of Orléans, in the late nineteenth century. The tale goes that one sister, rushed during service, put the pastry on top of the apples and baked the tart upside down. Whether it was an accident or simply a regional tradition, the result became one of France’s defining desserts: apples cooked in buttery caramel until burnished, then turned out under a crisp pastry base.

It looks like a restaurant dessert, yet it needs only five ingredients and one pan.

Choose the right apples

Use firm apples that hold their shape and have some acidity to balance the caramel. In France, Reine des Reinettes is traditional. In New England, look for Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold or Braeburn, or mix in a Granny Smith for sharpness. Avoid soft varieties such as McIntosh, which collapse into sauce. Peeling and quartering the apples a few hours ahead, and leaving them uncovered in the refrigerator, dries them slightly and gives a better caramel.

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8, in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet.

• 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry (about 8 oz), thawed
• 6 to 7 firm apples, peeled, quartered and cored
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cubed
• A pinch of flaky salt
• Crème fraîche, to serve

Method

1. Prepare the pastry. Heat the oven to 400°F. Roll the pastry into a round about an inch wider than the skillet, prick it all over with a fork and chill.
2. Make the caramel. Melt the sugar and butter in the skillet over medium heat, stirring gently, until the mixture turns a light amber, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the salt.
3. Pack in the apples. Off the heat, arrange the quarters rounded side down in tight concentric circles. Pack them closely; they shrink as they cook.
4. Cook on the stove. Return the pan to medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, basting occasionally, until the caramel deepens to a rich amber and the apples begin to soften.
5. Bake. Lay the pastry over the apples and tuck the edges down inside the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and deep golden.
6. Turn it out. Rest for 5 minutes, no longer, or the caramel sets and the apples stick. Run a knife around the edge, place a large plate over the pan and, using oven gloves, invert in one confident motion. Nudge any stray apples back into place.

How to serve it

Warm, not hot, with a spoonful of crème fraîche, whose tang balances the caramel better than ice cream. The tart is at its best within a few hours of baking.

What to pour

A sweet wine with good acidity matches the caramel without overwhelming it: a Coteaux du Layon or Vouvray moelleux from the Loire, or a Sauternes. For something stronger, a small glass of Calvados brings the apples full circle.

A full fall menu

The tarte tatin closes a classic autumn dinner. Begin with a Calvados Cider Sour, serve red wine braised short ribs as the main course and bring the tart to the table whole. Find more recipes in At the Table and seasonal travel in the Fall Edit.