Red Gooseberry /and Raspberry Tart

I made this Red Gooseberry and Raspberry Tart a fortnight ago  with my homegrown my red gooseberries,  and let me tell you not only was it pretty, it was really delicious.  

Here is a lovely warm slice for you to feast your eyes upon.

The Gooseberry Tart recipe comes from Sarah Raven.  Sarah Raven uses green gooseberries,  my substitution was more necessity than design as I only had 200g red gooseberries and just over 200g raspberries from the garden plot, so I combined them both.  But if you have 400g of either gooseberries or raspberries, it does not have to be a combination of both. 

Look closely at the photograph above, you will see half of it is raspberries and the other half red gooseberries.  If you want sweet, go for the raspberries, if you want sharp go for the red gooseberries.

No Ordinary Blood Orange Tart

Early on in the month, I made a Blood Orange Tart when blood oranges were still in season.  I have been wanting to make this for a while, and when I saw blood oranges at a supermarket, it was decided that this was my weekend mission. 

I started with great excitement, measuring out the ingredients, bringing out bowls, whisks and measuring spoons.  I made everything from scratch, the shortcrust pastry.  The orange custard creme brulee-like filling and then sliced the blood orange as thinly as I could with such concentration that you think I had telepathic skills.  

Cranberry and Pecan Torte

We always have fresh cranberries this time of year, but not for too long.  Like Pumpkins during the Autumnal Season, they disappear from the supermarket shelves as soon as Halloween has passed; and this is the same with cranberries.  Cranberries vanish once and for all as soon as Christmas and the festive season has come and gone. 

I try to make the most of fresh cranberries while in season.  Around the festive holidays, I often make Nigella Lawsons Cranberry, Orange and Almond pudding for Christmas.  Its become a firm favourite in our home, however this time we actually had a traditional Christmas Pudding.  I think it came in a hamper last year or even the year before, but I can't remember for sure.  So we tucked into the steamed Christmas Pudding late Christmas evening and this Cranberry and Pecan Torte was made early this afternoon.

The recipe comes from Entertaining Vegetarians by Celia Brooks.  I have made this Cranberry Pecan Torte before, a long time ago.  In fact it was in 2004 on Christmas day. This made me smile to myself and the fact that I was making it again, over a decade later.  I know this, as I had scribbled in pencil how delicious the recipe was with a note to make again...Gosh I am getting old.

This morning was our fourth day not leaving the house (except to go in the garden to empty the kitchen scraps into compost bin and refill the bird feeders - its been a busy garden with the bird life).  I spent the day in the kitchen trying to get creative and use up some of the excess fruit and vegetables I picked up last week for  the festive holidays.  Also, we both go back to work tomorrow, so I cooked a couple of dishes in advance that could easily be reheated when we get in late.  This Cranberry and Pecan Torte though, was more out of greed than necessity. 

The making of this Cranberry and Pecan Torte was a joint effort.  D cracked the pecan shells for me, gosh he made such a mess with the shells flying here, there and everywhere.  He's a much better housekeeper than me, as soon as he finished shelling the pecan nuts, out came the hoover and the mess was cleared away.  He is also my dishwasher!  

This Cranberry and Pecan Torte is very, very sweet and sharp which D loved.  Its sticky and chewy too.  I loved how the fresh cranberries burst bleeding into the batter. 

Sweet Parsnip Pie with Edible Flower Petals

A few good years ago when I began this blog, a fellow blogger commented that they loved that I made the most of an ingredient often using it for both sweet and savoury recipes.  I am guilty of it this time too.  After making this Sweet Parsnip Pie I made a Parsnip and Oat Porridge, I  usually eat porridge with freshly grated apple stirred into the mix but decided on trying it with parsnips and it was remarkable and naturally sweet, though I did throw in a handful of golden raisins.  I also made a Parsnip Crumble with some frozen berries and wait for it - Vanilla and Parsnip Creme Brulee.  

I've not always liked parsnips.  I have often found this root vegetable too sweet for my taste so one-day - a long time ago - I had decided it would be reserved mostly for sweet cakes and bakes, the way carrots are used in carrot cake (or if your South Asian like me, gajjar ka halwa aka Carrot halwa), though I must admit parsnips still makes an appearance in occasional savoury dishes. 

Back to the Sweet Parsnip Pie or should it read Sweet Parsnip Tart?!   Its a little hard to describe too, think American Pumpkin Pie. 

The parsnip pie was wonderfully creamy white like a brides lace dress until the spices kissed the pureed parsnip turning it into a deep vanilla colour.   The pie - tart was almost mousse like, almost velvety and sliced beautifully too.  You can eat it at room temperature, but if you wish to make it more of a pleasurable experience, then nuke in the microwave for a few seconds, then top with either freshly whipped cream or Vanilla or Coconut ice-cream.

Big Juicy Strawberries for Strawberry Slices

I seem to be sharing my strawberries with not just the usual garden birds, but also a stunning Jay bird in the garden.  The number of strawberries I've picked that have a sharp razor beak mark in them, made me smile.  I am not resenting the birds in my garden at all - there are plenty of strawberries for them and for me (its the slugs I resent). 

As well as enjoying them fresh, I've made loads of recipes with them.  However the one I am about to share had been a bit of a fail.  These strawberry slices tasted good, but were rather floppy, lacking body.  Perhaps some almonds scattered over the top or a jam layer beneath the strawberries would have made them more substantial.  If your (still) interested in trying them for yourself or even just curious to see the recipe, then follow this link for the recipe, its adapted from my Rhubarb Streusel Crumblee slices.

I am sharing these fresh big and juicy Strawberries with Daphne's Dandelions for Harvest Mondays. 

Rhubarb - Rosewater and Rose Petal Streusel Crumble Slices

This time last year, I was boasting that my rhubarb was growing fantastically well, but that was while it was at our old rented home.  Since then I've dug it and planted it in its new home and i have to say - its not happy.  Understandably, it wasn't going to reward me well this year, but I had not expected to find it having been attacked quite savagely by some beetle like insects.  

A few days back my fresh leafy salad greens were doing fabulously,  then there was nothing - they had all been ravished by the slugs.  And now my rhubarb attacked by a pest that i have identified as a member of the weevil family, known to gardeners as 'snout beetle' but its official name is Rhubarb Cuculio - Boo hoo.  There were so many of them peddling up and down the rhubarb stalks and it leafy greens that they gave me the creeps.  So if any of my fellow vegetable gardeners/growers are reading, then any advice on how to get rid of the snout beetle pest, so that I have good stalks next year, would really be appreciated.

Anyway, I am thankful to the neighbour who is not that keen on rhubarb and allowed me to help myself to some stalks from his patch; and this is what I made with it.  A gorgeously pink Rhubarb streusel laced with rosewater and then adored further with dried rose petals.  To elevate it further, serve it with double cream or clotted cream; or for something warmer try custard if you wish.  Or if you really want more natural pinkness - then maybe some Rhubarb syrup!

Golden Quince Almond Tart

I've pretty much always passed quinces by whenever I've seen them at farmers markets.  On rare occasions, I would sometimes pick, admire and sniff them, but never bring back one home .  The only thing that ever came to mind to do with them was Quince Cheese, but it wasn't something that I really wanted to make, so they were often dismissed.

This time round I changed my mind when I saw them at a local food festival.  I decided to pick up a couple, they were not particularly cheap so I consider these quinces to be a bit of a luxury but that didn't influence me to cook or bake with them any quicker.  The quinces sat first for two weeks in my fruit basket, then got moved to the fridge. As I did not wish for them to end up in the compost bin, I started  considering making Johanna's Buttery Quince and Almond Cake, but then got distracted thinking maybe I should do a savoury dish with them as there were loads of sweet Quince recipes around. 

Well after being in my home for nearly three weeks, at the weekend, I gave up, peeled, sliced and poached them in a little cinnamon honeyed water for about 30 minutes until they were just soft, but not falling apart.  I thought we would just enjoy the poached fragrant pieces with Greek yogurt and honey.  We both tried a bit and quite liked it.  D said it tasted a bit between pear and peach and that is when I became motivated to cook with them further and make a sweet tart.  

Ruby Red Strawberry and Custard Tart

Call me a greedy strawberry face,( nom nom nom) but I put my hands up and admit that in one day  I have made not one, but two delectable sumptuous sweet treats: a Strawberry and Custard Tart; and a Strawberry Pavlova,but before you get carried away with the name calling, please be aware that this very tart did not pass my lips, it was delivered the very next day to my parents home for the family to share.  However, the Strawberry Pavlova was ours to indulge in, your welcome to have a piece, but you better come on over!

The reason I made two lots of sweet delights  is that the strawberries in my garden are ripening very quickly with all the sunshine.  Every evening I go out and I pick almost another full punnet.  As well as enjoying the strawberries au naturale, we've also had them with vanilla ice-cream and Greek yogurt. 

It was early in the week that I decided to make a Strawberry and Custard Tart.  A recipe that I have not made before.  As well as making your own sweet shortcrust pastry, the recipe required making your own custard.  Its been a while since I made custard from scratch,  but I was happy to do so, the only thing I was left with 6 egg whites,  so of course there had to be another sweet treat in the waiting - Strawberry Pavlova but more about that later.

Had I thought about it in advance, I may have taken time with the strawberries and cut them so that they looked like tiny red love hearts.  Still I think that custard tart looks impressive studded with ruby red strawberries and  fresh pomegranate seeds. 

Want to try something different with your fresh strawberries, then can I tempt you with some savoury recipes.  Check out my Savoury Strawberry, Lettuce and Black Pepper  Risotto or even Strawberry, Caramelized Red Onion and Brie Tart.

Momma Cherri's Sweet Potato Pies

I fell under the charm of Momma Cherri (real name Charita Jones) when we were introduced to her through Gordon Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares about 6  years ago, and she instantly became an overnight sensation in her own right with her down to earth stance, genuine warmth and her passion for good old American soul food shone on.  She introduced many of us to hush puppies, Succotash and Corn Pudding.  I swear by her Cajun seasoning recipe.  I've tried lots of other recipes in the past, her recipe has depth of flavour.  I know her cookbook is not vegetarian, but there are a number of recipes there such as Vegetable Jambalaya, Peppers stuffed with Cornbread and Roast Curried Butternut Squash and many others  can easily be vegified (is that a word), I mean made suitable for vegetarians.

Sadly due to the economic climate, she had to close her restaurant ' you can have the best food in the world, but if you don't have enough customers coming through your doors...you will struggle'.  Please read this article, where Charita expresses with honestly her experiences.  Her experience echoes some of my own reality in the past year,  so I can truly empathise.  On the plus side, she is still cooking for those near enough to her to enjoy.  She continues to make TV appearances as well as sell at farmers markets and caters at some of Brighton's trendiest venues.  Check out Momma Cherri's website. 

Autumnal Pear and Almond Tart

You may remember the Plum and Almond Tart I made a couple of weeks ago.  Well this is exactly the same recipe, but in place of the sweet and sharp crimson plums...

I am using mottled green pears from my mothers garden.  My mother said this was the first year that her pear tree had rewarded her with many, so many that she was happy to part with some and I was happy to accept.  The eating apples here are from my fathers allotment.  

I've made two recipes with the firm pears so far.  A savoury Pear Tart and a sweet one - a Pear and Almond Tart.  This autumnal Pear and Almond Tart had a golden honey crunch on the outside and squidgy softness on the inside.  It was very moreish, leaving you wanting for more.

I am sharing this recipe at Tasty Tuesday Parade of Food hosted by Beauty and Bedlam; The Hearth and Soul blog hop hosted by 21st Century Housewife, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tea for Two hosted by The Plumed Pen, as well as Tuesdays at the Table; Fat Tuesdays and Lady Behind the Curtains Cast Party Wednesday#14. Please do go by and check out the other contributions.

Pear and Almond Tart
Serves 6
For the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
170g plain flour
Pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter
1 medium egg yolk
Cold water, to combine
Method for the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough. Chill, wrapped for 30 minutes before using. Roll out to line a 13 x 4 inch loose bottomed flan tin.
For the Pear and Almond Filling
75g unsalted butter
100g golden caster sugar
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
65g ground almonds
40g plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 - 2 medium pears, thinly sliced.  I used a mandolin.
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4.
Lay the sliced pears at the base, keepign some back for the topping.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and egg yolk. Fold in the ground almonds and flour and vanilla extract. Spread the mixture over the pastry base and pears, then neatly arrange the remaining sliced pears on top. Bake in oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Serve warm.

Plum Tart Again

I think D deliberately picked up some more plums when I wrote 'fruit' on the shopping list, as he was wishing for some more plum tart.

Well I don't blame him, it was rather good.

This is exactly the same recipe for the Almond and Plum Tart I made last month, except without the plum syrup.

Almond and Plum Tart
Serves 4 - 6
For the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
170g plain flour
a pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter
1 medium egg yolk
Cold water, to combine
Method for the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough. Chill, wrapped for 30 minutes before using. Roll out to line a 13 x 4 inch loose bottomed flan tin.
For the Almond and Plum Filling
75g unsalted butter
100g golden caster sugar
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
65g ground almonds
40g plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g plums, pitted and sliced
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and egg yolk. Fold in the ground almonds and flour and vanilla extract. Spread the mixture over the pastry base and scatter or neatly arrange 60g of the plums on top. Bake in oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Almond and Plum Tart with Plum Syrup

Now I don't want to get over-confident and boast, but I think you are gonna love this sweet 'Almond and Plum Tart'.

Its very much like English Bakewell tart in that its has a soft almondine filling, but instead of finding a layer of raspberry jam, this tart is dressed with plum crescents.  The plums are both sweet and sharp. What elevates this tart further is the plum syrup - sticky and sweet.

I will definitely be making this again and hope that I am tempting you to make it too.

The plum syrup was especially delightful and I can imagine it spooned over vanilla ice-cream, or stirred through Greek yogurt; or even an indulgent topping for waffles.

Almond and Plum Tart
Serves 4 - 6
For the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
170g plain flour
a pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter
1 medium egg yolk
Cold water, to combine
Method for the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough. Chill, wrapped for 30 minutes before using. Roll out to line a 13 x 4 inch loose bottomed flan tin.
For the Almond and Plum Filling
75g unsalted butter
175 g golden caster sugar
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
65g ground almonds
40g plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g plums, pitted and sliced
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4.
Beat the butter and half of the sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and egg yolk.  Fold in the ground almonds and flour and vanilla extract.  Spread the mixture over the pastry base and scatter or neatly arrange 60g of the plums on top.  Bake in oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch. 
For the plum syrup
Put the remaining sugar in a saucepan with 3 tablespoon water and heat gently until dissolved.  Bring to the boil and poach the remaining plums in it for a couple of minutes.  Remove them with a slotted spoon onto a  plate.  Continue to boil the liquid until it reduces and becomes thick and syrupy, but don't let it caramelise.  Add the plums back to it and allow it to cool, before pouring it over the tart.  Serve warm.

Blackcurrant Tart

Zingy blackcurrants filled to the brim of this tart, oozing out its seductive deep red juices. 

This Blackcurrant Tart is deliciously both sweet and sharp, but it seriously needs calming down.  So if you choose to make it (and I really recommend that you do as blackcurrants are in season in the U.K), then please do accompany this tart with either ice-cream or freshly whipped cream, and then sit back and enjoy as you take a mouthful. 

Blackcurrant Tart
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
For the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
170g plain flour
a pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter
1 medium egg yolk
Cold water, to combine
Method for the Rich Shortcrust Pastry
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough. Chill, wrapped for 30 minutes before using. Roll out to line a 8 - 9 inch round fluted tin.

For the Blackcurrant Tart filling
350g fresh blackcurrants, topped and tailed
125g sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
Milk and extra sugar to glaze
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4.
Put the blackcurrants into a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and cornflour. Gently turn the blackcurrants so that they all get coated with the sugar and cornflour.
Spread the blackcurrant evenly onto the pastry. Gather up pastry and either re-roll the pastry trimming in a lattice on top of the blackcurrants; Or use a lattice pastry roller (see the last photograph).  

Brush the pastry with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake in a preheated oven for 35- 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold. 

You may also like the look of this Almond and Blackcurrant Cake.   

Lemon Thyme Almond Tart

The herb Lemon Thyme is growing quite well in my garden, even its flowers are eager to come out.  Though to appreciate its gently lemony scent, you have to brush the palm of your hand on its unruly hairdo. In comparison to the common thyme used in savoury dishes which is intense in flavour, lemon thyme is much gentler.  I haven't used Lemon Thyme very much in cooking, and never in desserts, but I knew this was going to change this weekend.  I have seen recipes where the lemon thyme was folded into the shortcrust pastry, both for flavour and visual effect.  I had thought of doing the same, but then decided to add a little to the Lemon Almond filling to achieve the same impact.   

If your like me and not overly keen on tangy and sharp desserts, then this Lemon Tart will please you.  The sharpness in this Lemon Thyme Almond is softened by the lightness of ground almonds and the pastry was light and flaky.

I am submitting a slice of this Lemon Thyme Almond Tart to Winnie from Healthy Green Kitchen for this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB) #288. WHB is overseen by Haalo from Cook Almost Anything.

Lemon Thyme Almond Tart

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

For the Rich Shortcrust Pastry

170g plain flour

a pinch of salt

100g unsalted butter

1 medium egg yolk

Cold water, to combine

For the Lemon Thyme Almond Filling

2 medium egg

160g icing sugar

Juice and zest of 4 unwaxed lemons

90g unsalted butter, melted

70g ground almond

1 -2 teaspoon lemon thyme, stripped from the tiny stalk

Method

Preheat oven to gas mark 4.

For the Rich Shortcrust Pastry

Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl.  Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture.  Mix to a firm dough.  Chill, wrapped for 30 minutes before using. 

Roll out to line a 9 inch round fluted tin.  Blind bake and allow to cool.

For the Lemon Thyme Almond Filling

Beat the eggs and icing sugar together until fluffy.  Gently mix in the rest of the ingredients.  Pour the lemony mixture into the blind baked pastry case and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the filling has set and is just beginning to turn golden on top.  Allow to cool and serve at room temperature.  Adapted from Bill Sewell's Food From The Place Below. 

Crème Mango Lime Tart

You may be interested to note that since starting this blog, I had never posted a recipe that echoes my pseudonym ‘mango cheeks’. Not for lack of wanting, when in season I’ve eaten a number of fresh and ripe mangoes straight from its smooth skin. Softening the fruit with my fingertips and then supping up the sweet puree from its golden yellow and red tinged skin. It is for this reason I’ve not used any mangoes for cooking - it is simply delicious fresh.

Well, finally here is a mango recipe. It is a Crème Mango Lime tart. Sadly it is not made with fresh mango as those I love are not in season yet. This mango recipe is made with tinned mango puree. The tinned mango puree has been sitting in my store cupboard for a little while waiting patiently for its turn to be transformed into something quite yummy; and it did not disappoint. This mango tart filling was sweet, soft and sublime, but there is a 'but'. The pastry base did not work well with the filling, for some reason it did not compliment the mango custardy filling.

When the mango tart came out the oven it was all puffed up. It reminded me more of a cheesecake, than a crème or creme brûlée. I know the pastry in the above image looks a bit messy, but please note I had yet to trim off the excess pastry.

Crème Mango Lime tart
Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients
Follow a reliable sweet shortcrust pastry recipe of your own

Blind bake sweet shortcrust pastry
For the Crème Mango Lime tart filling
200g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
200ml double cream
200ml canned mango purée
Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lime and 1 teaspoon freshly grated zest of unwaxed lime
Method
Preheat oven to Gas mark 4.
Put the sugar, eggs and cream in a bowl and beat with an electric beater. Stir in the mango puree, lime juice and zest. Pour into the pastry case and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until the tart is just starting to set. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Optional: To take this recipe a step further, you can make this Crème Mango to a Mango Crème Brûlée tart. For this you will need to sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the top and put under a preheated grill or use a cook’s blowtorch to melt the sugar until it is molten and bubbling. Adapted from Jane Noraika New Vegetarian Entertaining.

Mincemeat and apple crumble tart

These Mincemeat and apple crumble tarts were a very nice. Enjoyment elevated further with the accompaniment of vanilla ice-cream.
These tarts were going to be my first submission towards a blogger food event called We Should Cocoa. The idea is to make something with chocolate each month. This months host challenged readers to create something using leftovers or surplus stock. I have plenty of things in my fridge to use, including nearly empty jars of chutneys and jams, frozen berry fruit like raspberries and foraged blackberries it the freezer, but it was a jar of mincemeat in the cupboard that was calling out to be used.

I thought to myself if I did not make use of this opportunity now, perhaps I never would and it would find its way to the bird table in the form of fat balls or worse in the bin, so I decided to make a 'Mincemeat and chocolate tart'.

But then my eyes fell on my fruit bowl that nestled some Bramley apples, that I had picked early in the week to make 'Apple and blackberry crumble'. So instead of Mincemeat tart, this tart quickly evolved to 'Mincemeat and apple crumble tart'. When I was about to submit it to the food event, I realised I missed out on including the vital ingredient - Chocolate, duh. Oh well, maybe next month.

For this recipe I used 6 tartlet tins and cut the pastry into the shape of an apple using a large apple cookie cutter. You could also make one large one in a 10 inch tart tin.

Mincemeat and apple crumble tart
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the rich shortcrust pastry
170g plain flour

a pinch of slat

100g butter

1 egg yolk

very cold water, to mix
For the filling
400g Jar of ready made vegetarian mincemeat
225g Bramley apples, peeled, cores removed, flesh sliced
1 lemon, juice only
For the topping
100g plain flour
50g butter
50g granulated sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Grease a 22cm/9in loose-bottomed cake tin with the vegetable oil.

Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough, first with a round-bladed knife, then with one hand. It may be necessary to add more water, but the pastry should not be too damp. Chill, wrapped for 30 minutes before using.
Roll out the pastry until it is 2.5cm/1in bigger in diameter than the cake tin.
Line the cake tin with the pastry and trim off any excess. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork, then chill the pastry case in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the oven, remove the beans and greaseproof paper and set the pastry case aside to cool slightly.
Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry case and spread evenly over the base.
Dip the apple slices into the lemon juice and arrange them on top of the mincemeat layer.
For the topping, in a bowl, mix together the flour and the butter rub the mixture together using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then mix in the sugar.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples and mincemeat. Bake in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the crumble is crisp and golden-brown. Mincemeat crumble tart recipe adapted from here.

Cranberry chocolate tart

The Christmas feel good movies and the festive music have all suddenly been replaced with countdowns of the Best and Worst of 2010. Perhaps I should do a reflective post of my own, and focus on what has been a year of tremendous change, but I am not in the right frame of mind for it. Really what I should do is dress up, make-up and go out this evening with the masses and welcome the New Year in the big city, but the slushy grey mush left behind by the snow is just so uninviting.

Instead we choose to stay home like lovebirds. This is not new to us, the past few years has seen us actually quite content to stay at home and see in the New Year, but this New Years Eve we are both seriously lacking cheer and sense of direction, so to lift our mood a little. D has picked up a bottle of bubbly and I have made this very adult dessert which we have already greedily tucked into.
I actually made use of my under-utilised Magimix blender to make the dough. I also used my American cups to make this tart. I thought it made sense this time as this was a very American recipe.

I really enjoyed biting into the almond pastry though it was a pain to roll out as it stuck to the marbled board. I also enjoyed the oozy tartness and zingy flavours of the bursting fresh cranberries, but the final drizzling of the melted dark chocolate was a different matter. The chocolate was just too intense. Even D who adores his chocolate said it was too dominant. Once the melted chocolate had set, I was able to peel it off the tart. In fact I think white chocolate would work better here.
This berry jewelled rich cranberry and chocolate tart needs something to cut through the sharp and intense flavours. I would recommend perhaps some whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.
For now though, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Happy New Year and may your 2011 be a good one filled with memories to treasure! I am trying to remain optimistic about 2011 and what it may bring for us.
Cranberry chocolate tart
Ingredients
For the pastry base
1 ½ cups plain white flour
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
1 medium egg yolk
Grating of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped flaked almonds
1 – 2 tablespoons cold water
For the cranberry filling
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour dissolved in ¼ cup of water
Optional: ½ cup of dark or white chocolate
Method
Combine the flour, sugar, butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Beat together the egg yolk, nutmeg and vanilla in a cup and pour it into the dough; pulse briefly. Add the almonds and pulse again. Add enough cold water to combine and make a firm dough . Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
Meanwhile cook the cranberries on medium heat, stirring occasionally for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the sugar and simmer until is has dissolved and the berries are juicy. Pour in the cornflour mixture and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat.
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
Roll out the chilled dough to line a 10 inch tart tin, pressing about an inch of the pastry up the sides and folding over the edges. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to gas mark 4 and bake for 15 minutes more, until the crust is golden brown and firm. Set aside to cool for about an hour.
When the crust is cool, melt the chocolate. Drizzle half of it onto the crust and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Evenly spoon over the cranberry filling, then drizzle the rest of the chocolate here and there, so that the cranberry filling shines through. Allow the chocolate to firm up before serving the tart. Slightly adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates from The Mossewood Collective.

Marrow cream petals and more

A little while ago, I made a jar swap with Nic of Nip it in the bud. I had not opened my marrow jar and lovely Nic has been asking me have I tried it yet? what do I think? and do I like it? I have a small kitchen with a small fridge that was bulging, so I was waiting for one jam jar to empty and make room for another, well it finally happened. I was able to open and taste the marrow cream and I was not disappointed.
It is thick, spreads like butter, luscious and zingy. The mild citrus flavour lingers in your mouth for awhile. I absolutely loved it. Thanks to Nic, I will be growing marrows next year, only to make some of my very own marrow cream.

Also after reading Anns comments to my most recent gift exchange, I also decided to open a jar of the mulled wine plum jam, and oooh it smells like the Christmas season. I got the idea to make these tartlet casings into petal shapes using a cookie cutter after seeing a savoury version of them on another bloggers blog. These little tartlet cases are so versatile, you can even fill them with cream and curd or both.

By the way, when I came home from work this evening, guess what was waiting for me?! This little chicken may not lay eggs, but I adore her. Thank you Ann.

By the way Ann is willing to swap some other lovely home-made gifts with home-made delights, so check out the basket and follow this link if your interested. Both the crafts pictures are taken from Ann's blog Calico and cards.

For the mulled wine plum jam and the marrow cream recipe aka lemon surprise spread, please follow the links.

Petal tartlet cases
Makes about 10-12 small tartlet casings
Ingredients

180g plain flour

90g softened butter

50g icing sugar

a egg yolk
Method
Combine the flour, sugar and butter by hand as I do (or in a food processor) until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add the egg yolk, then a little water to make a firm dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut into circles or require shape. Line individual tart tins. Prick the bases all over with a fork, then bake at 4 - 5 for about 15 minutes until just starting to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling with your choice of jam, curd or flavoured cream.