This Mango Tarte Tatin is a tropical twist on a classic French tarte tatin. Instead of the traditional inclusion of apples, mangoes form the caramelized layer in this sweet and flaky dessert. It's a lot easier to make than it looks, only requires 4 ingredients, and is sure to impress.
If the mango is extra juicy, place the slices in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Adjust the oven rack to the center and preheat the oven to 400°F.
If needed, roll out the puff pastry large enough to fit just inside the rim of an 8-inch oven-safe frying pan (the pan's rim will be wider than the bottom 8-inch diameter). A standard store-bought sheet of puff pastry should be large enough as is, and can simply be trimmed at the edges to make it round. Cut a small hole in the center of the pastry. Transfer the prepared puff pastry round to the refrigerator to chill until you're ready to use it.
Melt the butter in the 8-inch oven-safe frying pan (with a steel handle). Add the sugar and allow it to melt slowly, without stirring, over medium heat. Tip or gently shake the pan frequently to help the sugar to melt evenly.
When the sugar is golden, about 8 to 10 minutes into cooking, add the mango slices. The mangoes will release their liquid. Cook the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, but gently to avoid breaking up the mangoes. Make sure they are evenly glazed, and cook until the liquid has thickened to a caramel consistency. Remove from the heat.
Pack down the mango, arranging to ensure it covers the pan evenly, and then cover with the pastry, pushing down the sides.
Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the puff pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven (CAUTION: the handle will be extremely hot; this is easy to forget once it’s out of the oven. Drape a kitchen towel over the handle to remind yourself until it cools), rest for about 10 minutes. Invert a round platter with a lip over the pan and, using potholders to hold the pan and plate tightly together, invert the tart onto the platter. Slice into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired. The caramel will set and thicken more as the tart cools. Enjoy this tarte tatin warm or at room temperature.
Notes
When cooking the butter and sugar together (without stirring), the butter may look separated from the sugar at first. Once you add the mangos, the mixture will sizzle and as you start to stir together the caramel will emulsify and become smooth.
You'll have some puff pastry scraps after you trim it into a circle. Feel free to cut the scraps into smaller pieces and simply bake them to serve with cheese or jam. You could also sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and bake for a sweet snack.
I've made this mango tart multiple times with mixed results regarding how "juicy" the caramel is after baking. I think it really depends on how juicy your mangos are, but even if the caramel is a bit thin when you invert the tarte tatin, it's still super delicious, so don't fret!