GUEST CHEF.
A GOOD DOUGH
recipe for a tart is an excellent thing to have in your repertoire and frozen doughs are handy as they can get you out of a cooking rut quickly. Even though I have made hundreds, I still feel a sense of wonderment when I see a perfectly baked tart come out of the oven. Nothing elicits more “oohs and ahhs” than a golden-brown tart. And anyone can do it because it doesn’t matter if the tart isn’t perfect!
Most people think of a tart as a base for sweet desserts only, but the buttery crust works well for savoury toppings, too. A base of softened onions is an excellent sweet and savoury start, then follow it up with whatever vegetable is in season – zucchini, wilted greens, stewed mushroom or thinly sliced pumpkin – then top with cheese or cream or both. As for the sweet tarts, my formula begins with a base of nut frangipane which serves as the perfect sponge for roasty fruit juices but also works to create a barrier so the crust doesn’t go soggy while baking.
I encourage you to experiment, but any one of the tarts on the following pages is a good one to get your confidence going. You’ll be at the farmers’ market, selecting fresh fruit and vegetables for your homemade tart in no time.
TART PASTRY
340g plain flour, sifted
2 tsp caster sugar
200g cold unsalted butter, chopped
Place the flour, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the cold butter and using your fingers, crumble butter into flour until there are pieces no bigger than a dried bean. Using the palms of your hands, rub the butter and flour together to create thin sheets of butter (this will help to create thin flaky layers). Add 1/2 cup (125ml) iced water, 1 tbs at a time, until the pastry comes together. ( You may not use all the water.) Turn pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it just comes together. Shape into a ball, flatten into a disc and enclose in plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
CHERRY & FRANGIPANE TART SERVES 8
1 quantity tart pastry (recipe above) 55g unsalted butter, softened 95g caster sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp almond extract
55g almond meal
70g plain flour 400g pitted frozen cherries,
thawed
2 tbs kirsch (cherry brandy, optional) 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 tbs demerara sugar Pouring (thin) cream, to serve
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 3mm-thick round and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill until needed.
To make the frangipane, beat butter and 1/4 cup (55g) sugar in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Mix until well combined and butter is pale. Add 1 egg and beat to combine. Add almond extract, a pinch of salt flakes, almond meal and 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour. Mix to combine and set aside.
Place cherries in a bowl with remaining 20g flour, 40g sugar, kirsch, if using, orange zest and pinch of salt flakes. Preheat oven to 200°C.
Remove pastry from the fridge and spread frangipane on the tart, leaving a 3-4cm edge. Top with cherry mixture then fold edges over cherries to form a crust.
Lightly beat remaining egg in a bowl and brush the edges of the tart with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes until evenly golden. Drizzle with pouring cream to serve.
PINEAPPLE & MACADAMIA TART WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE SERVES 8 1 quantity tart pastry (recipe, left) 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted 1.2kg ripe pineapple, peeled, sliced 1 tbs caster sugar
1 egg white
Whipped cream, to serve
CARAMEL SAUCE 200g caster sugar 85g unsalted butter, chopped 1/4 cup (60ml) pure (thin) cream 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste MACADAMIA FRANGIPANE 2 cups (300g) macadamias 2 cups (240g) pure icing sugar, sifted 1 egg white
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 3mm-thick round and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill until needed.
For the caramel sauce, place sugar in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes until sugar melts. Don’t worry if sugar crystallises, it will melt back down.
You are looking for a dark amber colour. Remove from the heat and carefully add the butter. The mixture will bubble up vigorously. Slowly pour in the cream and add the sour cream, and continue to whisk until completely incorporated. Add a pinch of salt flakes and the vanilla bean paste. This mixture can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Meanwhile, for the macadamia frangipane, place macadamias and icing sugar in a food processor and whiz until finely crushed. Transfer to a bowl, add egg white and 1/4 tsp salt flakes and mix until just combined. Set aside until needed.
Spread macadamia frangipane on the pastry, leaving a 5cm edge, then arrange the pineapple slices over the top with slices overlapping. Brush the top of the fruit with the melted butter and sprinkle with caster sugar. Fold the edge of the pastry over the fruit. Lightly beat the egg and brush the crust with an egg wash.
Bake tart for 50-60 minutes until evenly golden. Allow to cool then serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce and dollop of whipped cream.
TOMATO, ANCHOVY & GRUYERE TART SERVES 8
1 quantity pastry (recipe on p 66) 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
to drizzle
2 onions, thinly sliced
6 thyme sprigs
1 tbs plain flour
8 good-quality anchovy fillets in oil,
(optional), chopped
400g ripe roma tomatoes or 2 large
heirloom tomatoes, sliced thinly 1 egg
2 tbs creme fraiche 2 tbs milk
70g Gruyere, grated
2 tbs finely grated parmesan Salad leaves, to serve
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 3mm-thick round and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill until needed.
Heat oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-low heat. Add onion and 1/ 2 tsp salt flakes and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 15-20 minutes until soft and translucent but not coloured. Set aside to cool (you can make the onions up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge).
Sprinkle 2 tsp plain flour over the pastry base and top with the onion, leaving a 5cm edge. Scatter over the chopped anchovy fillets, if using. Place the tomato in an even layer over the top and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt flakes and drizzle with extra olive oil.
Fold the edge of the pastry over the tomato. Lightly beat the egg and brush the crust with egg wash.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Bake tart for 30 minutes to partially cook the pastry, then remove from the oven. Whisk creme fraiche and milk together in a bowl and drizzle mixture over the tomato. Sprinkle with the grated Gruyere and parmesan then return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the edge of the tart is deep golden. Cool slightly before slicing. Serve with a green salad.
ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM, HONEY & ’NDUJA TART SERVES 8
1 quantity pastry (recipe on p 66) 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 onions, thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 1 tbs plain flour
1 egg
80g goat’s curd
75g ‘nduja (spreadable spicy salami –
substitute finely chopped salami) 10-12 zucchini flowers, stamen removed, stem thinly sliced into rounds (substitute 2 large zucchinis, sliced thinly on a mandoline)
2 tbs pure (thin) cream
1 tbs warm runny honey
2 tbs toasted pine nuts (optional)
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 3mm-thick round and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill until needed.
Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt flakes and thyme leaves. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring regularly, for 15-20 minutes until onion is completely soft and translucent but not coloured. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Sprinkle flour over the pastry and top with the onion mixture, leaving a 3cm edge. Fold the edge of the pastry over the onion. Lightly beat the egg and brush the crust with egg wash.
Bake for 25 minutes then remove from the oven and carefully top onion mixture with spoonfuls of goat’s curd and ‘nduja as evenly as possible. Arrange the zucchini flowers and stems over the top then drizzle with cream and add a pinch of salt flakes. Return to the oven to continue to bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove the tart from the oven.
Drizzle honey over the zucchini flowers. Allow to cool before serving. Scatter over toasted pine nuts, if using, to serve.
“This recipe will fill your home with the intoxicating vanilla aroma of roasting figs, and the flavour is simply divine. Serve with unsweetened whipped cream or creme fraiche as the figs will carry enough sweetness.”