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quince tarte tatin
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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 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Chilling Time 2 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.