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French Onion Soup Tarte Tatin Recipe

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4.2 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Description

This French Onion Soup Tarte Tatin is a sophisticated twist on the classic French onion soup, transformed into an elegant caramelized onion tart. Layers of sweet, richly caramelized onions cooked in butter and sugar sit underneath a flaky pie crust or puff pastry, baked with melted Gruyère cheese and a subtle hint of sherry and fresh thyme. Finished with fresh chives, this tarte tatin offers a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and cheesy flavors in a beautiful presentation, ideal for special gatherings or as a decadent starter.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 1/2 batch old-fashioned flaky pie dough or 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Caramelized Onions

  • 3 medium yellow onions (about 1 1/2 pounds; 680 g)
  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces; 56 g) unsalted butter, softened, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry sherry (such as Amontillado)
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) homemade chicken or beef stock, or store-bought, low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon Asian fish sauce (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) sugar

Finishing

  • 2 ounces (56 g) Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Dijon mustard (optional)
  • Freshly sliced chives, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: If using pie dough, roll and fold according to your old-fashioned flaky pie dough recipe. Roll one half into a 10-inch round, transfer to a large flat plate lined with parchment, fold 1/2 inch of dough over itself and pinch to create a 9-inch round with a raised rim. Cut three 2-inch slits in the center and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours, covering with plastic if refrigerating longer. If using puff pastry, roll to a 10-inch round using an inverted skillet as a guide, fold 1/2 inch edge to create a 9-inch round rim, poke all over with a fork and refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Preheat oven and prepare onions: Position the oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim and peel onions. For two onions, cut into 16 wedges total by halving and quartering through the root to keep wedges intact. Thinly slice the remaining onion.
  3. Caramelize sliced onions: In a 3-quart saucier or small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add sliced onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until softened, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, adding water as needed to prevent burning, until onions are rich golden brown and very sweet, about 15 minutes.
  4. Simmer with sherry and stock: Add sherry to the onions and scrape up browned bits. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the onion mixture is jammy and liquid is reduced to a thick coating, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in fish sauce if using, cider vinegar, and thyme. Remove from heat and let cool.
  5. Caramelize onion wedges in skillet: Smear remaining 3 tablespoons butter over the bottom of a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. Sprinkle sugar evenly over the butter. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange the onion wedges tightly in a circular pattern around the edge of the skillet with the root ends facing inward, then fill the center with remaining wedges.
  6. Cook wedges on stove: Place skillet over high heat and cook without stirring until onions soften slightly and the butter-sugar mixture turns a dark amber color, about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating skillet for even browning. Reduce heat to medium, spoon the caramelized onion mixture into gaps between wedges and cook 1 minute longer. Turn off heat and sprinkle Gruyère cheese evenly over onions.
  7. Assemble tart: Spread Dijon mustard evenly on the prepared dough or pastry round if using. Carefully place this round mustard-side down over the onions in the skillet, ensuring the dough is centered and not touching skillet sides.
  8. Bake the tart: Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the crust is deep golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove skillet and place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes.
  9. Invert and serve: Place a large plate over the skillet and carefully invert the tart onto the plate. Slide tart onto a wire rack. Rearrange any shifted onion pieces. Let the tart cool for 30 minutes. Cut into wedges, garnish with sliced fresh chives, and serve.

Notes

  • Use yellow onions for their natural sweetness which caramelizes well in this recipe.
  • If using pie dough, chilling overnight enhances the dough’s workability and texture.
  • The Asian fish sauce is optional but adds a subtle umami depth.
  • Dijon mustard adds a slight tang and depth to the tart but can be omitted if preferred.
  • Rotate the skillet over the burner during caramelization to ensure even cooking.
  • For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock instead of chicken or beef stock and omit fish sauce.
  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 85 mins
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://saraflavors.com/french-onion-soup-tarte-tatin-recipe/