…these fallen hazel-nuts,
stripped late of their green sheaths,
grapes, red-purple,
their berries
dripping with wine,
pomegranates already broken,
and shrunken figs
and quinces untouched,
I bring you as offering.

– H.D., “Orchard.”

There are few fruits more aromatic than quince. Though harder work than an apple or pear, to which quince are related, this fruit has an indescribable lovely spiciness that makes for a gorgeous tarte tatin. Try something different this Thanksgiving – you can even make this the day before, no problem.

The Inimitable Quince

Like pomegranates, quince not only have a long history but feature heavily in literature. “They dined on mince, and slices of quince…” The Owl and the Pussycat, anyone? Or take the golden apple Paris bestowed upon Aphrodite – most likely a quince.

Delicious as they are, quince can’t just be plucked off a tree, rubbed on your shirt, and eaten like an apple. They are tough and fibrous when raw, and require cooking to get them tender and to release that magical flavor and color. So, you’ll be cooking the quince slices in water and honey on the stove, before laying them out in your skillet where you’ve made the caramel.

Rough Puff Pastry

The rough puff pastry that covers the fruit is a snap to make and takes very little time. What takes the longest is the chilling-between-folding time. You’ll want your butter really cold, so just freeze it, then grate it into your flour, sugar and salt mixture. You’ll be rolling it out, folding it, then chilling it, three times.

Reality Bakes

Keep an eye on that caramel! I got busy doing other stuff and wasn’t watching my sugar, so my first batch burned. It happens. The second batch came out just fine and the final tart was a stunner.

Print Pin

Quince Tarte Tatin

A shiny, delicious tarte tatin that will grace any fall table, or even make a wonderful Thanksgiving dessert.

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8

Author Jen Leigh

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, frozen and grated
• 2 to 5 tbsp ice water

For the quince filling:

• 3 to 4 medium quince, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Handful of whole cloves (optional)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

Crust:

• Mix flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.
• Add grated frozen butter and pulse just until butter is incorporated and mixture is crumbly.
• Drizzle in ice water a tablespoon at a time and process just until dough holds together when squeezed.
• Gather dough and press into a 5-inch square. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll out dough into a rectangle. With the short side nearest you, fold dough in thirds. First, fold up the bottom section to the center, then fold down the top, so dough looks like a letter. Rewrap in plastic and chill another 30 minutes.
• Roll out chilled, folded dough with short side closest to you into a rectangle again and repeat folding steps above. Chill for 30 minutes then roll and fold one more time. Chill after final fold for at least one hour.

Quince:

• Place quince slices in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the fruit. Add honey, lemon zest and juice, and a handful of whole cloves (optional). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer until quince are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the quince and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, heat 3/4 cup sugar and salt over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens into a syrup and turns lightly gold. Remove from heat immediately and stir in butter.
• Carefully arrange the quince slices in the pan, slightly overlapping the slices and remembering that the side facing down will be the top of the tart when done.

Assembly:

• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out to a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4 inch thick. Drape the dough on top of the quince slices in the skillet and carefully tuck the edges of the dough tightly around the fruit.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a plate, glazing the top of the tart with any leftover liquid from the skillet.
• Serve warm, or store in tin overnight and reheat at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, then invert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword fruit tart, quince, rough puff pastry, tarte tatin