With peaches still in season, this tarte tatin is a wonderful variation to the one with apple.

 

RECIPES ARE LIKE SONGS
The recipe for this peach and thyme tarte tatin has been whispering my name for the longest, and after spotting some gorgeous peaches at today’s farmers’ market, I decided to write it down and actually make it. Recipes come to me like songs, you see. And once they grab a hold of me, they won’t let go until I actually see the results on my table.
The tarte tatin is made with pure French butter. Keep in mind that your results will only be as good as your ingredients.

Note: Preferably, the tarte tatin should be made in an authentic tarte tatin pan measuring 25cm. One that can also be used on the stove. You can also use an ovenproof pan of the same size.

Peach & Thyme Tarte Tatin

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

  • 250g flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 110g cold butter, cubed
  • 50g margarine, cubed
  • 1 egg, 1 egg yolk

For the filling:

  • 100g butter  
  • 120g granulated sugar
  • 4 peaches (about 550g) halved, pits removed and (not too thinly) sliced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, plus a sprig or two for garnish

 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In the bowl of your food processor, pulse the flour, salt, butter and margarine until the mixture resembles oatmeal. Then add the egg and the yolk, and pulse again until the dough comes together. On a sheet of parchment paper roll out the pastry to a 28cm circle.  Put the pastry in the fridge while you get on with the rest of the recipe.
Put your tarte tatin pan on the stove and slowly melt the butter. Once the butter is almost fully melted, add the sugar and stir well for about a minute or two. Now increase the heat to about medium and leave the caramel until it starts to turn golden and smell wonderful. This will take about 10 minutes. Whatever you do, do not stir! Simply swirl the caramel every now and then. You will only stir at the very end of the cooking time. Add in the thyme, being careful because it will spit a bit. Add the peaches and stir well through the caramel (being careful not to burn yourself). Cook for five minutes. In the meantime, take your pastry out of the fridge Once the peaches are cooked, take the pan off the heat, and carefully drain most of the caramel syrup. You will only need about 4 tbsps left in the pan. Cover the peaches with the pastry making sure to tuck in the edges. Prick the pastry a few times with a fork.
Bake the tarte tatin for about 50 minutes. Leave to cool on a rack for at least ten minutes before turning it out on to a plate. To serve, place a plate on top of the pan, put on some oven gloves, and flip the whole thing over so that the tarte tatin ends up on your plate. Decorate with a sprig of thyme. Enjoy as is, with some crème fraîche or with some vanilla ice cream.