Mini Apple Tartes Tatin

Amazing! This was a hit for Thanksgiving. We baked them in small ramekins with lids. Very easy to assemble and people love the presentation. Little do they know it's making your life easier making it this way. We used maple syrup instead of corn syrup.

I have made this three times lately with apples and then pears. Using individual small cut puff pastry squares from Lidle. They are delicious and can easily be reheated in the oven. Addictively good. I’ve baked them in muffin tins and custard ramekins both work well. They look gorgeous too. Don’t be afraid they are easier than you think once you get the hang of them!!

First time making and it was much easier than anticipated. Fabulous results. Will make again!

I never add corn syrup to my caramel and it's fine as long as you get to caramelization temperature (golden brown). Crystals will only form if the sugar is not fully caramelized.

Second time around: even better than I remembered! Made them this time with puff pastry in a muffin tin - made 5 mini tartes, but I think I could've crammed more caramel into each and made 4 (or even 3?). (I made half the recipe again, obvs.)

Had problems with the caramel.. it never got dark or think, and then it separated with the addition of the butter. Maybe needs more corn syrup or add sweetened condensed milk? Tasty in the end but not caramely.

I thought I had caramelized the sugar too long because it was hard and candied when cooling. I could barely get it out of the pot. I just gave it some heat to soften it and quickly scooped out the caramelized sugar into the greased cupcake tins and follow the recipe. Once the Mini Apple Tartes Tatins were given the final reheating the candied sugar became a beautiful thick sauce dripping over the apples. Delicious!

Pour the syrup in the cups just after adding the butter - it does solidify, but it will be the right consistency after baking. I thought I overcooked it the first couple of times- so I made another batch- so not necessary. I also tried it with sliced fresh figs- worked really well. I topped them with a spiced custard I had leftover from an apple pie experiment. If I try it with figs again, I might add some ginger to the syrup.

I love this recipe but the apples are coming out mushy. Should I shorten the cooking time at 400 or at 375 ... or both? Maybe nix the 375 session altogether?

Delicious! I was worried when the caramel solidified to a rock as it cooled in the ramekins, but it was diluted by apple juices and absorbed into cooked apples; the finished caramel syrup remained soft, even when cooled.

I found this tricky to get out of the muffin pan. I really think the more classic method of drawing hot caramel up and over the apples repeatedly gives a richer flavor.

What fun this was and easy and delicious. I reduced all ingredients by a third for the two of us. Two individual ramekins. Took only a half hour of prep, including swirling the caramel. Expect to make this again and again.

I could have used a temperature reading for the caramel, perhaps soft ball stage. I ended up with sugardaddy on the bottom of the muffin tins.

I tried making the caramel twice- the first time after adding the butter the entire thing instantly crystallized (cooked too long apparently). The second time it remained syrupy (not cooked long enough?) The sugar I used was "natural" so maybe that made a difference- I'll try again with "less natural" sugar- it would be helpful if there would be a temperature point to aim for instead of color. The end result of the too syrupy batch was good - but not, I think, what was intended.