Rice Paper Tarte Tatin (Gluten Free, High Fibre)

Yes, you can make a tarte tatin without pastry. This rice paper tarte tatin swaps the traditional puff or shortcrust base for softened rice paper sheets, so what you get is a proper gluten free tarte tatin, custardy in the middle, crisp and caramelised at the edges, all from one pan and sized for one serving.

A couple of years ago I made a pear tarte tatin pancake that went a bit viral, and pears have stayed my favourite way to mark the start of autumn ever since. This year I wanted to push the idea further, so I swapped the batter for rice paper, and used a custard style egg mix instead. The result surprised me, the rice paper goes soft and almost translucent as it steams in the egg, and it caramelises at the edges with the chicory syrup underneath, holding the pear fan together in one sliceable disc.

• One pan, one serving, no oven needed
• Naturally gluten free, no flour swap required
• High in fibre thanks to the chicory syrup, which can help keep you satisfied

Key Ingredients

• Pear, sliced thinly lengthwise so it fans out and cooks evenly, the skin can stay on for a bit more fibre and less faff
• Rice paper sheets replace the classic tarte tatin pastry entirely, hydrated in the egg mix rather than water so they pick up flavour as they soften
• Chicory syrup, drizzled in the pan and folded through the custard, it's where almost all of this recipe's fibre comes from, more on that in the notes below
• Egg and almond milk, whisked into a light custard that sets around the pear and rice paper as it cooks, a dairy milk works just as well if that's what you have in
• Cinnamon, just a dusting in the pan, it deepens as the syrup caramelises underneath

Coaching Note

My tip after making this a few times, don't rush the flip. Once the rice paper side has had its five minutes covered, it needs a firm, confident flip using a plate, rather than a nervous half turn, or the custard can split and the pear fan slips out of place. Get a large plate over the pan, put one hand flat on top, and turn the whole thing over in one decisive movement, it looks more dramatic than it actually is.

If you tried my original pear tarte tatin pancake, this is the gluten free, rice paper version of that same idea, same pear and chicory syrup pairing, a different base underneath. And if you like what rice paper can do beyond spring rolls, my Rice Paper Pizza Bagels are worth a look too.

Alex :)