Tarte Tatin: apples are under the dough before turning

Useful to know

Tarte Tatin covers caramelized apples with pastry before baking, then inverts the dessert. The fruit that began underneath becomes the visible upper layer. [1]

King Arthur’s Classic Apple Tarte Tatin first cooks the apples on the stovetop, distinguishing it from a simple raw-filled pie. Apple variety matters because very soft fruit can lose its shape. Follow the cooling and safe inversion instructions: the pan and caramel retain heat, so turning the dessert is a practical step requiring care.