Apple-Cranberry Tarte Tatin

This Apple-Cranberry Tarte Tatin is perfect for Halloween fun, fall dinners, parties, and family get-togethers. With sweet apples in season, tart cranberries, and bubbling caramel under flaky golden pastry, it's a show-stopping dessert that's easier to make than it looks. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for a cozy, crowd-pleasing treat that feels both festive and comforting.

Ingredients:

Rough Puff Pastry

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen 15 minutes
• 2 Tbsp. plus 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; plus more for surface
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup (or more) whole milk

Filling and Assembly

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
• 5 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
• 2 1/2 lb. Honeycrisp apples (about 5 large), peeled, cored, quartered
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, divided
• All-purpose flour (for dusting)
• Vanilla ice cream (for serving)

Instructions

Rough Puff Pastry

1. Grate 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen 15 minutes, on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour over and toss gently to coat. Freeze for at least another 15 minutes.
2. Whisk 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1/4 tsp. baking powder, and 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Add half of the butter (eyeballing is okay); toss to coat. Add 1/2 cup whole milk; mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. It should hold together when squeezed in your palm. Add more milk 1 tsp. at a time if needed. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until no dry pockets remain but dough still looks slightly shaggy; press into a 1/2" thick disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Cover grated butter and keep frozen until ready to roll out dough.
3. Unwrap dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface to create an 18x6" rectangle with a short end facing you. Sprinkle about a quarter of remaining butter in a single layer over center of dough to create a 6" square. Fold upper half of dough down over butter, lining up outside edges (you should have a 12x6" rectangle); press lightly to seal. Sprinkle a third of remaining butter over top half of dough, leaving bottom 6" uncovered. Fold lower third of dough up and over butter to form a 6x6" packet; press lightly to seal. Rotate dough 90 degrees clockwise so top flap opens on your right. Roll out to an 18x6" rectangle, dusting with more flour as needed. Repeat entire folding process, dividing remaining butter evenly. Wrap reformed 6x6" dough packet in plastic; chill at least 30 minutes. Do Ahead: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Filling and Assembly

1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425 degrees. Cook 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a 10" - 11" stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and using a wet pastry brush to brush sides of pan if crystals start to form, until mixture turns deep amber and wisps of smoke begin to appear, 6 - 8 minutes. Add 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (be careful; caramel will sizzle) and stir just until butter is melted and caramel is smooth (some sugar may seize along the way, but it should all be melted by this point). Let cool until hardened, about 10 minutes.
2. Toss 2 1/2 lb. Honeycrisp apples (about 5 large), peeled, cored, quartered, 3 Tbsp. cornstarch, and remaining 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice in a large bowl to coat. Scatter 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries over caramel. Arrange apples, cut sides up, on top, starting at edges of skillet and working toward the center to create a spiral pattern (fit in tightly; some overlap is okay). Scatter remaining 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries over, letting them fall between apples. (Depending on the size of your pan, you might not use all of the fruit.) Drizzle liquid left in bowl over.
3. Unwrap pastry and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round. Carefully drape over fruit; tuck edges inside pan. Cut four 1" long slits in center of pastry. Bake until juices are bubbling around the edges and pastry is deep golden brown, 40 - 45 minutes. Let cool 30 - 60 minutes.
4. Set a cake stand or large plate upside down over skillet; holding together, quickly flip over to turn out tarte Tatin. Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream to serve.

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit