Mango and Orange Tarte Tatin for Marsha’s Birthday
Tatin! Joyeux Anniversaire from Paris, Marsha!
I just couldn’t make this tarte big enough for my lovely friend, Marsha. You see, it’s her birthday. It’s also her first blogoversary approaching this month, and she has given me the total honour of being a guest on The Harried Cook, to join her birthday celebrations.
Marsha is the sweetest blogger I’ve virtually met. She’s adorable (I’m saying that with a French accent, so imagine it as adorrrraaaaable, with a rolled ‘R’ – it sounds so much better) and fun. Can you imagine her lucky husband and daughter, sampling her latest creations such as honey and sesame bread, and lemon-lime meringue pie? (Another great egg yolk recipe!) Speaking of which, do you remember her guest post with an incredible Strawberries and Cream Mousse Pie, using a Pâte à Bombe method? Marsha says she’s harried, but I admire how she juggles her day job and family life, plus manages to move house like a warm Indian breeze.
What is this for a birthday cake, you ask? Well, in our house we don’t really eat cake. We eat macarons… and right now we’re eating so many tarte tatins. It’s the season, as the humble apple is the basis of the classic French Tarte Tatin. It’s our winter version of eating the recommended daily portions of fruit. I guess it’s healthy, even if there is a touch of butter and sugar – just to carmelise it, you understand.
When I was newly married, my French Mother-in-Law would produce the most sumptious Tarte Tatin for dessert. I was in awe. It sounded grand and looked complicated. How could I possibly return home and make this for Antoine without goofing up? She had given me the recipe and told me it was dead easy. Hey, am I supposed to believe everything she tells me? So, I went home and made anything but Tarte Tatin since I had no courage. Then one day I saw it in a French magazine and saw how quick and easy this French dessert was to make. A no brainer. That’s me. That’s my Tarte Tatin. It’s the same syndrome as macaron-making, don’t you think? Picture Julie Andrews singing, “I have confidence in me”!
The Tatin sisters, who ran a restaurant at the start of last century in Sologne, gave the dessert its name. The story goes that as the apples were cooking they realised they’d forgotten the pastry, so they simply stuffed the pastry on top then flipped the tart upside down and Mon Dieu, look what turned up?
For Marsha’s Tarte Tatin, I picked mangoes, as they’re now appearing on our market stalls, although Marsha quite rightly told me the best ones are from India (these ones are from Peru but that’s all we’re allocated!) And as the oranges are at their best just now, I couldn’t resist adding a touch plus a glow of fresh ginger to spice up our present sub-zero temperatures around Paris.
Mango, Orange & Ginger Tarte Tatin Recipe
Happy Sweet Birthday, Marsha and congratulations on your first blog anniversary!
Come join us over at The Harried Cook, for my Guest Post
and let’s sing Happy Birthday to Marsha at the top of our voice!
Tatin! Happy Birthday
Jill Colonna 
A tarte tatin with mango?!? Oui, oui and oui!!!
Jill, what a wonderful treat for a birthday! Mangoes make such a nice departure from apples in this beautiful tart!
Happy Birthday Marsha and really what could be a better birthday cake than this gorgeous tatin. Jill, love the flavour combination and especially the ‘glow’ of ginger you’ve brought to the tarte. One of my favourite desserts has just gotten even favouriter!
Jill,
This was a lovely guest post for and birthday celebration for Marsha. I would have never thought to put mangoes in a tartin, so good/
how dare you say Marsha is the sweetest blogger and not me? ;p ;p HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARSHA!
wow i love such creations in mistake…they tend to become famous :p
…and move house like a warm Indian breeze…haha lovely…and thank you for acknowledging Indian mangoes are the best!! lol
Jill, I really truly appreciate you guest posting for me… You made my day extra special! And you have everyone drooling over this gorgeous tart tatin! You did such a wonderful job on this one, and I really appreciate it! Thanks for everything 🙂 God bless you, and big hugs to you!
Marsha, it was the greatest pleasure. Really, you are too sweet with all of your delicious comments! Hugs, J xo
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARSHA!!!
Lucky you..drool drool
Mango tarte tatin!
Mon dieu
Great guest post Jill. Just came over from the other site.
Wow, Jill, what a fabulous dessert! I’ve made the apple version, but you’ve opened a whole new world of options…YUM.
The mango and orange tarte tatin looks really delicious. So, I did teach you something – to always remember Julie Andrews singing “I have confidence in me”.
Aha – you noticed! Yep, my favourite part of the Sound of Music is when she sings it and trips going up the path. A perfected mistake. Thanks for reading, Mum. I guess I should make this for you when you come over?
Just came back from Marsha’s site. You did such a terrific job Jill! She is one lucky blogger who received your gorgeous mango & orange tarte tatin for birthday!!!
At the risk of this sounding corny, I’m the one who’s lucky with such lovely blogging friends. Just wish we could share it altogether in person!
Well written post here and stunning pictures-popping on over to see your guest post. Mango and Orange-yum!
On my way over to Marsha’s place. I’ve got to have this recipe. Our local mango season is nearly over here but we can still buy big boxes for $24 at the farmer’s markets. Plenty to make one of these tarte tatin.
Oh you lucky thing, Maureen. Love mangoes – difficult to know the seasons when we just get imports! Enjoy.