Peach Tarte Tatin (for beginners)

4.92 from 25 votes

An easy 5-ingredient peach tarte tatin twist, ready in 30 minutes. Caramelized peaches nestled in a buttery, crispy puff pastry make a dessert even beginners can master.

Prep Time7

Cook Time23

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings (change as needed): -6

Author: Cheryl Avrich

US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

3 medium peaches (or 4 small), pits removed, sliced into thin wedges (about 1/4-1/3 inch thick/6-8mm) no need to peel
2 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or a bit more if peaches are very juicy)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (or nutmeg, cardamom, or allspice)
1/2 pound puff pastry dough (one sheet), thawed, Note 1 (8 ounces)

US Measures - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F/204C.
PREPARE PEACH FILLING: Spread softened butter on bottom and sides of an 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) pie dish. I used my fingers. Sprinkle on brown sugar to cover the bottom of the pan. Arrange peach slices, slightly overlapping, around the outer edge, then the inner edge, covering the entire bottom of the pie plate. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over peaches (or a bit less if peaches aren't too juicy) to help absorb the juices and avoid a soggy crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
PREPARE PUFF PASTRY CRUST: The crust will start on the top and end up on the bottom when tart is inverted onto a plate. Unfold dough or roll to 1/8 inch/3.2mm. Cut out round piece of dough to fit pie dish. (I lay pie dish on top of dough and cut around it). You will have leftover dough. Don't fuss - you can trim it after. Place puff pastry dough on top of peaches and tuck the edges downward all around the inside edge of pie plate. No need to cut small slits in the dough.
BAKE AND SERVE: Bake tart for 23 minutes or until crispy and deep golden brown. Remove from oven. Place a serving plate (slightly larger than the pie plate) over the pie dish. Using oven mitts if plate is hot, invert (flip over) the peach tarte tatin onto a plate. The caramelized peaches will slowly fall onto the baked crust. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

Puff pastry notes:
- For a richer taste, but a package that says 'made with butter'
- For convenience, buy a package with two pre-rolled sheets. Then you can just defrost and use one - and no rolling.
- It's easier to work with cold dough and best to defrost the dough in the fridge overnight.
- If the dough is not pre-rolled into two separate sheets, roll one sheet into a 14 x 14 inch square (35 x 35 cm) about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick. Sprinkle a bit of flour on parchment or a cutting board before rolling out the dough to prevent sticking.
Substitution
- For apples: If you don't like or have peaches, use apples or bananas. You will need to sprinkle less flour on the apples and none on the bananas.
Variations
- Garnish: Sprinkle with crushed toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Lower the calories: Use a little less butter and sugar. Don't overdo it. This is not a low-cal dessert!
- Gluten free: Use gluten free puff pastry if you can find it. It won't be quite as flaky and stretchy though. Replace the sprinkle of flour with gluten free flour.
- Serving options: Try it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or creme fraîche.
Number of Servings: The recipe is for one small 8-9 inch tart that would serve about 4-6 people. If you use a full package of puff pastry (2 sheets/rolls), you can make 3 full 8-9inch/20-23cm tarts. Use the left over puff pastry from two tarts to make the third.
Make Ahead
1. Make the entire peach puff pastry tart a few hours ahead, let it sit on the counter, then warm and crisp it in a 350F/176.7C oven for about 5-7 minutes before serving.
2. Alternatively, assemble the peach tart tatin a few hours ahead, then bake it while your guests are eating dinner.

Nutrition values are estimates.