Upside Down Apple Tart

Name: Upside Down Apple Tart
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 to 6 tablespoons honey; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 6 even pieces; 2 tablespoons light brown sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 to 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt; 2 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/8 inch thick; 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed; 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water; Powdered sugar for serving

This easy French style tart uses puff pastry and caramelized apples for a fancy dessert that is simple enough for any weeknight.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 French· September 16, 2026

recipesbynani.com

Prep

30 minutes

Cook

30 minutes

Total

1 hour 10 minutes

Serves

If you love the classic French tarte tatin but want to avoid the stress of a stovetop caramel, this recipe is for you. It simplifies the process by letting everything bake together on a sheet pan, giving you those perfectly tender and sweet apples without the fuss.

This dessert looks truly impressive when you pull it out of the oven, but it relies on basic pantry staples like honey, brown sugar, and store bought puff pastry. My best tip is to use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to get your apples sliced paper thin, as this ensures they soften perfectly during the bake.

🧺 Ingredients

4 to 6 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 6 even pieces
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt
2 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Powdered sugar for serving

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2
Drizzle the honey onto the parchment in 6 evenly spaced squiggles arranged in 2 rows of 3.
3
Place a pat of butter in the center of each honey squiggle, then sprinkle each with brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
4
Fan the apple slices over the butter pats to create 3 columns, tucking the slices snugly against each other so no parchment is visible.
5
Cut your thawed puff pastry into 6 equal rectangles and place one piece of pastry over each apple mound.
6
Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash and prick the centers lightly with a fork.
7
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
8
Let the tart cool for 5 minutes, then carefully flip each rectangle over onto a serving plate to reveal the caramelized apples.

💡 Tips

Serve these warm with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days, and reheat them in a toaster oven to keep the pastry crisp.

#Dessert #French #Vegetarian #Apple #Easy

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