I’ll never forget the first time I tasted Sweet Tomato Tarte Tatin. It was at a charming little bistro in Provence, where I expected the usual fruit-based tarte tatin—apples, pears, or maybe even plums. But when the waiter placed a beautifully caramelized, golden tart in front of me and said, “Tomate confite et caramel”, I was intrigued. One bite in, and I was hooked.
Who would have thought that tomatoes could be the star of a dessert? Their natural sweetness, intensified by slow caramelization, pairs beautifully with a crisp, buttery pastry. Add a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got a show-stopping dessert that’s both unexpected and utterly delicious.
What most people don’t realize is that tomatoes are officially a fruit, which means this dessert isn’t some wild experiment—it actually makes perfect sense! Their natural sweetness, intensified by caramelization, creates a beautifully balanced flavor that pairs perfectly with buttery pastry and a scoop of ice cream. If you’ve never tried a Sweet Tomato Tarte Tatin, you’re in for a delicious surprise!
Why You Need to Try This Sweet Tomato Tarte Tatin
✔️ Unexpected yet incredible flavor – The combination of tomatoes and caramel is rich, slightly tangy, and perfectly sweet.
✔️ Minimal ingredients, maximum impact – Simple pantry staples transform into something extraordinary.
✔️ Easy to make – No fancy techniques, just a little patience while the magic happens in the oven.
✔️ Perfect for entertaining – It’s a conversation starter, guaranteed to impress your guests.
The Key to Perfect Sweet Tomato Tarte Tatin
✅️Choose the right tomatoes – Small cherry or grape tomatoes work best. My personal preference is grape tomatoes.Their natural sweetness intensifies when caramelized.
✅️Make a proper caramel – Don’t rush it! A slow, golden caramel is the secret to a rich, complex flavor.
✅️Use quality puff pastry – A good buttery pastry makes all the difference. Store-bought is fine, but go for an all-butter version.
✅️Pair it with vanilla bean ice cream – The contrast between warm caramelized tomatoes and cold, creamy ice cream is divine.
Recipe:
Serves: 6
Prep time: about 15 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Ingredients:
8 large plum or grape tomatoes – not too ripe or they will fall apart during cooking (about 800 gr or 1½ lbs)
3 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
150 gr/3/4 cup fine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 sheet of round frozen puff pastry, thawed. If you can’t find round, get a square sheet, place it neatly over a round pie plate to fit nicely. Cut the overhang to get a nice round
Fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 215°C/425°F/195°C Fan oven.
Add water in large saucepan and bring to a boil
Slightly cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato
Carefully add half of the tomatoes to the boiling water.
Blanch tomatoes for about 15 -25 seconds until the skin peels back at the X Make sure not to leave them in too long or they will become soggy
Remove tomatoes from the pot with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer the tomatoes to bowl of ice water
Repeat with remaining tomatoes.
Peel the tomatoes and gently remove the cores and seeds and cut halve lengthwise
Spread butter over bottom of a 9-inch pie plate/ 23 cm ovenproof skillet (preferably in a anti-stick pan)
Sprinkle the 3/4 cup sugar over the butter
Arrange tomato halves with rounded side down close together to fill the entire skillet
Place skillet over medium heat and cook until sugar and butter are reduced to thick and bubbling, deep amber colored syrup
To prevent tomatoes from burning, move tomatoes occasionally – about 20 minutes
Remove from heat and drizzle vanilla over the tomatoes. Immediately drizzle
Place pastry round over the tomatoes and tuck in the edges of the pastry
Make 2-3 small slits in the pastry. Place skillet in oven and bake until pastry is nice and golden brown, about 23 minutes
Cool tart in skillet for about 5-6 minutes. Not longer or the tarte will stick to the skillet
Gently cut around the sides of the skillet to loosen the pastry
Place large platter over the skillet
Firmly hold platter and skillet together and invert
Allow tart to settle onto platter
Carefully lift off skillet and rearrange any tomatoes that may have loosened or moved
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