Pear Tarte Tatin

This pear tarte Tatin is based on a classic upside-down French tart. The pears are caramelized in butter and sugar until golden and gooey, then covered with a pastry crust and baked in the oven.

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 55 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 firm pears, peeled and cut in half
• 2 tablespoons good quality bourbon whiskey
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 (9 inch) ready-to-use refrigerated pie pastry

Steps

1. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, ginger, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
2. Carefully cut away the cores from each pear half. Place one pear half into a large bowl. Cut remaining nine pear halves in half lengthwise, then cut each piece into three slices lengthwise, from the core end to the bottom. Place all slices into the bowl with the pear half. Drizzle pears with bourbon and sprinkle with sugar-spice mixture; toss until evenly coated.
3. Melt butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add ⅔ cup sugar and salt to the melted butter; cook and stir until well combined and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Place single pear half, cut-side up, into the center of the skillet. Fan remaining pear slices around the center, with the stem ends facing the center; if possible, turn the pieces in the same direction. Add all remaining pear slices to fill in any gaps.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, undisturbed, until pears are fork-tender and liquid develops a golden color, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Remove refrigerated pie pastry from the package. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for unrolling crust.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Place pie pastry over pears and tuck edges in toward the bottom of the skillet. Place the skillet onto the baking sheet in the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
7. Bake until crust is golden brown, 28 to 30 minutes; remove from the oven. Place a heat-safe plate, larger than the skillet, upside down over the crust.
8. Use oven mitts to grab the plate and skillet together and quickly flip the skillet contents onto the plate; this move is tricky and requires some forearm strength and dexterity. After the flip, use a spatula to gently center the contents on the plate if needed. Add any fruit that didn’t transfer from the skillet, then drizzle any remaining liquid over the top of the tarte.
9. Let the tarte sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then serve warm.