For the March Daring Bakers’ challenge, Korena from Korena in the Kitchen asked us to celebrate treats that are best enjoyed upside down. The task: make a tarte tatin from scratch.
For this month’s Daring Bakers challenge we were instructed to make a tarte tatin—sweet or savory—using any fruit or vegetable, making our own pastry and cooking the caramel on the stovetop. Rather than the classic apple version, I chose pear and ginger for a flavor both my partner and I enjoy.
Many tarte tatin recipes make enough to serve six, but because this dessert is best served straight from the oven and we only needed enough for two, I made a mini tart. Individual cast-iron skillets work brilliantly for single portions; a 15cm/6in skillet yields a perfect tart for two.
For pastry I used shortcrust rather than puff—shortcrust is easier to make in small quantities and quick to prepare, though store-bought pastry works if you prefer. The method has two stages: first make a caramel in the skillet, then cook the pear slices gently in the caramel until they soften. The fruit may seem too large to fit in a single layer at first, but the slices shrink slightly as they cook, allowing you to arrange them neatly.
After the pears are cooked, let them cool, then arrange them as you like in the pan. You can prepare the tart in advance: refrigerate the skillet of pears (without covering them with pastry) and complete the bake later the same day—just avoid covering the fruit with pastry until you’re ready to bake to prevent sogginess. Roll out the pastry, cut a circle slightly larger than the skillet, place it over the pears and tuck the edges down between the fruit and the pan. Bake until golden, then invert onto a plate.
The finished tart is gooey on top with a crisp base; the caramel-infused pears, warmed by ginger, pair beautifully with the flaky pastry. Served warm with a scoop of ice cream, it’s an indulgent dessert—perfect for sharing between two. (Photographing it while trying to eat it does make things slightly less romantic.)
Pear & Ginger Tarte Tatin For Two
Ingredients
Pastry
- 75 g (scant ⅔ cup) plain flour
- 15 g (2 tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
- pinch salt
- 40 g (3 tbsp) cold butter, cubed
- 1 medium egg yolk
- ½ to 1 tbsp ice cold water
Filling
- 2 medium pears ripe but firm
- 65 g (⅓ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 15 g (1 tbsp) butter
- 1 ball stem ginger finely chopped
- 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
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To make the pastry, mix the flour, icing sugar and salt. Add the cold butter and rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg yolk, then add enough ice water to bring the dough together. Wrap in clingfilm and chill while you prepare the filling.
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Peel, core and slice each pear into 8 wedges; set aside.
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Heat a 15cm/6in cast-iron skillet or ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the caster sugar evenly over the base and add the tablespoon of water. Swirl the pan as the sugar melts and turns a golden caramel. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, chopped stem ginger, stem ginger syrup, ground ginger, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
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Add the pear slices and coat them in the caramel. Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes until the pears have softened and shrunk slightly but still hold their shape.
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Set the skillet aside to cool until you can handle it safely. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
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When the pears are cool, arrange them in a single layer in the skillet. Roll the pastry to about 5mm thick—slightly thicker than usual—and cut a circle a couple of centimeters larger than the skillet.
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Drape the pastry over the pears and tuck the edges down between the fruit and the sides of the skillet.
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Bake for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the caramel is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let the tart rest for about 5 minutes until the bubbling subsides.
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Place a rimmed plate over the skillet and carefully invert the tart. Rearrange the pears if needed.
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Serve warm with a dollop of ice cream.
Notes
These photos show the pear and ginger tarte tatin made in a small skillet—an elegant, simple dessert that’s ideal for two.