French Apple Tart Recipe (GF) (LF)

French apple tart is fantastic with the two different types of apple I used; one stewed, the other sliced and caramelised on top...yum! I made a full-sized tart yet I only got two slices?? I think I might have to make another very soon :). Goes wonderfully with a dollop of cream or a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

French Apple Tart

INGREDIENTS:
140g rice flour
140g cornflour (maize)
140g margarine
55g caster sugar
pinch salt
1 size 7 egg
4 Rose apples
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sultanas
1/2 tbsp cornflour (maize)
3 Granny smith apples
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup apricot jam

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
Mix flours, margarine, sugar, salt and egg together in a kitchen mixer (I have a Breville scraper mixer). Using the mixer blade, beat until a ball of dough forms.
Press pastry into a geased and floured 28 cm loose-bottom tart tin. Using your hands allows you to get the pastry into all the flutes of the tin.
Prick the base with a fork and bake blind for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, remove baking blind material and set aside.
Peel and dice the Rose apples into 1cm cubes.
Put diced apples into a saucepan with cinnamon and sultanas. Stew the apples on a medium heat until they are soft and have released lots of juices.
In a small cup, mix together second measure of cornflour with 4 tbsp of cold water. Mix into the stewing apples. Leave on the heat for 2 minutes, before setting aside to cool.
Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the granny smith apples, covering them in lemon juice to prevent browning.
To assemble the pie, spoon the stewed apples into the pastry base then top with the sliced apples, taking care to arrange them into a spiral pattern with the slices overlapping.
Bake for 45 minute or until the apples are browned and tender.
Remove from oven, but keep in the tin until cooled down.
Heat apricot jam until runny, then spread over the tart to give it a nice glaze.
Once the tart is cooled, remove it from the tin.
Slice then eat.

Enjoy!

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Normandy Pear Tart recipe

Normandy Pear Tart originates from Normandy, France where the area is known for its pears. The following is the attempt I made a few months ago for the enjoyment of a group of friends. I assume the guests loved it as I had no leftovers to take home and the plate was spotless!

Normandy Pear Tart

INGREDIENTS:
For Pastry:
175g flour
3 size 6 egg yolks
60g sugar
pinch salt
75g butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla escence

For Frangipane/Filling:
125g ground almonds
125g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
1 size 6 egg
1 size 6 egg yolk
1 tbsp brandy
4 ripe pears (I used packham)
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp flour

For Glaze:
150g apricot jam
3 tbsp water

METHOD:

For Pastry:
Sift Flour in to a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add egg yolks, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt to the well.
Mix well using your fingers until the mixture is like breadcrumbs.
Knead dough for 2 minutes then wrap in clingfilm and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Grease a 24cm tart tin.
Roll dough out and line the tart tin.
Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.

For Frangipane/Filling:
Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
Add the brandy and round almonds then gently stir until well blended.
Peel and core the pears then cut into wedges abd toss with lemon juice.
Spoon and spread frangipane into the pastry shell.
Arrange the pears in a spiral on top of the frangipane.
Place tin onto a baking tray.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 180 degrees celcius and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the frangipane is set.
Cool and unmould the tart.
Brush with glaze.

For the glaze:
Melt jam with water then pass through a sieve.

Serve this at room temperature. It can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days but it is best when eaten the same day

Enjoy!

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Tarte Fine Au Citron (Lemon Tart) Recipe

Tarte Fine Au Citron or lemon tart is a classic french dessert. Using my favourite pastry, Pate Sablee, the result is a smooth lemon filling inside a light but tasty tart case. As a variation, a meringue top can be added.

Tarte Fine Au Citron (Lemon Tart)

INGREDIENTS:
350g Pate Sablee (recipe can be found here)
5 eggs
180g caster sugar
150ml cream
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp milk, for glazing

METHOD:
Roll pastry out to 3-4 mm thick.
Line a lightly buttered, 22cm tart tin or 4 x tartlet tins with the pastry.
Refridgerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius.
Lightly whisk eggs and sugar in a chilled bowl - do not let the mixture turn pale.
Add lemon zest and juice. Stir briefly then cover with cling film and refridgerate.
Bake 'blind' the pastry for 15 minutes.
Remove baking blind material and leave for a couple of minutes then brush the base and sides with egg glaze.
Bake for 5 minutes; remove from oven then turn temperature down to 150 degrees celcius.
Lightly whish chilled lemon mixture.
Pour into tart case(s).
Bake immediately for 1 hour until lightly set.
Leave for 5 minutes before carefully removing the tart(s) from the tin.
Leave to cool on wire rack for at least 4 hours before serving.


TIPS:
- Serve the tart as is, sprinkled with icing sugar and/or accompanied by berries.
- After an hour of baking, a meringue top can be added then baked until lightly golden.
- The tart improves with time and can be made a day in advance but keep it in a cool place and not in the fridge to prevent the pastry from going soggy.

Enjoy!

Just desserts here 

Chocolate and Raspberry Tart Recipe

This Chocolate and Raspberry tart is a rich and decadant dessert. I suggest serving this with fresh fruit on the side to help 'cut through' the richness. The biggest challenge is definitely making and rolling the pasrty out but I've blogged previously on the recipe I use and how to make the process of making Pate Sablee more bearble. (see Pate Sablee Post Here) Enjoy!

Chocolate and Raspberry Tart - Presented with all its glory

I used 70% cocoa solids chocolate but anything from 45% to 74% can be used. Depends on what you like I guess. If using frozen raspberries, make sure they are well defrosted to prevent the pastry getting all soggy.

INGREDIENTS
280g Pate Sablee (see Pate Sablee Post Here)
200g fresh raspberries (or frozen ones, defrosted and well-drained)
250mL whipping cream
200g dark chocolate, in small pieces
25g liquid glucose
50g butter, in small pieces

METHOD:
Roll out pastry to ~3mm thick and use it to line a 22cm tart tin. Put onto a baking tray and place in fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius, prick pastry base and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove baking blind material, lower oven to 180 degrees celcius and bake for another 5 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave until cool enough to handle then lift off tart ring.
When cold, arrange raspberries in the pasrty case.
Bring cream slowly to the boil on a medium heat. Remove from the heat and add chocolate. Use a whisk to mix it in.
Add the glucose, and when smooth, add the butter a little at a time.
Pour mixture over raspberries to fill pastry case. Leave to cool then chill in fridge for at least 2 hours, before serving.
Use a very sharp knife dipped in hot water to cut the tart, wiping between each slice.
This tart is best cut straight out of the fridge but best served once it has rested for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.

Serve with a dollap of cream and fresh fruit on the side.

Enjoy!

A tart in the making

One finished tart

The first piece

Pate sablee (sweet tart pastry - french) Recipe

My most favourite of the pastry bases crispy, sweet, soft and crumby all at the same time. Hard to work with but a few tricks and it works out fine. This is a french sweet tart pastry and it's delicious!

Here's the recipe I use and a few tips to help get it right

You can either be a real pastry chef and make this on a clean flat surface or if you're a little messy like me, in a big bowl.

INGREDIENTS:
250g flour, sifted
200g butter, cut into small pieces
100g icing sugar, sifted
2 egg yolks
pinch of salt

METHOD:
Combine together the flour, icing sugar and salt. Add butter and rub butter into flour using your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and use a fork to slightly combine into mixture. Using your hands mix and press the mixture together until it resembles a soft smooth round of dough.Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge.

TIPS:

• You can use the pastry straight away; but it is always best to rest pastry in the fridge for at least 30 minutes; this allows the gluten to do its thing and prevents the pastry from shrinking when cooking or acting like elastic when rolling it out.

• Roll the pastry out between two pieces of non-stick baking paper to prevent over use of flour, stickng to the rolling pin/rolling surface and your hands from warming the pastry to much.

• Use drops of water on each corner to get the bottom piece of paper to stick to the work surface and prevent the pastry and paper from shifting around whilst rolling.

• When rolling it out, try not to handle it too much. Also try to work quickly and in a cool place. This is because the pastry has a high butter content so the more the pastry warms the sticker and softer it gets and the harder it is to work with.

• Before you put your pastry into a tart tin. Carefully peel off one of the pieces of paper and place exposed side down into tin. You can use the reamining piece of paper, that is still stuck to the now top of the pastry, to manipulate pastry into shape of tin before peeling off then re-using to hold baking blind material.

• Or, if you don't mind a few creases in the pastry case, you can use one of the pieces of paper as a liner for tin and place the pastry straight into the tin with paper attached underneath.

 Hope that all made sense, if not please let me know.