French · Authentic-ish French
Tarte Tatin
314 kcal a serving, against 545 for the traditional version. That is 231 kcal off, or 42%, with 7.2g of protein. Serves 8. 1 hour 15 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A heavy, cast iron frying pan filled with equal parts butter and sugar. The apples are packed in tightly, boiled in the bubbling fat and sugar syrup until dark brown, then covered with a sheet of pastry and baked. It's flipped over and flooded with double cream to serve.
What changed, and what each change costs
200g of sugar down to 60g
You need some sugar to make a caramel and coax the apples into softening, but you don't need a massive pile of it. I use just enough to create a sticky glaze.
What it costs you. It's less jammy. The apples retain a bit more of their natural tartness, and you don't get that thick, chewy layer of toffee holding it all together.
150g of butter down to 30g
Boiling fruit in a massive puddle of butter is classic French cooking, but it's heavily taxing on the body. A small knob of butter is enough to give the caramel that rich, rounded flavour.
What it costs you. The caramel is thinner and less luxurious. The traditional version has a glossy, buttery sauce that pools on the plate, whereas this one mostly clings to the fruit.
200g of double cream for 400g of fat-free Greek yoghurt
Double cream is effectively liquid fat. Swapping it for a massive bowl of thick, ice-cold Greek yoghurt gives you the same temperature contrast and creaminess, while entirely shifting the balance of the dish.
What it costs you. Yoghurt is sharp. It cuts through the sweetness rather than amplifying it. If you want pure, cloying indulgence, you'll miss the double cream.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 545 | 314 |
| Protein | 2.9g | 7.2g |
| Fat | 35.8g | 14.8g |
| Saturated fat | 22.4g | 9.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 57.6g | 41.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 0.5g | 2.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish French prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk.
The method is in the book
This is a celebration of roasted fruit and crisp pastry. Nobody is going to mistake it for a sticky toffee pudding. The apples are the actual star here, rather than just acting as a sponge for melted butter. The sharp yoghurt works brilliantly against the sweet pastry, making it something you can easily eat a large slice of on a Tuesday night. I'll admit the original looks glossier, but this tastes phenomenal.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish French, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback