Balsam & Citrus Tart

BALSAM & CITRUS TART Dried balsam has a startling cotton candy aroma and the dried needles work beautifully in desserts. This tart features their use in two of its components—lending its fragrance to the delicious filling and then in syrup to candy seasonal citrus. Working the double cream into the filling by hand ensures you don’t overwork it and cause it to become granular.

CANDIED MANDARIN & SYRUP

1 cup (250 mL) water

⅓ cup (80 mL) sugar

⅓ cup (80 mL) honey

⅓ cup (80 mL) loosely packed dried balsam Cheesecloth

2 mandarin oranges

1 sheet (half a 454 g pkg) pre-rolled puff pastry

Flour for dusting

FILLING

¼ cup (60 mL) loosely packed dried balsam 1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, softened

½ cup (125 mL) icing sugar

¼ cup (60 mL) honey

3 oz (85 g) feta cheese

1 bottle (170 g) Devon double cream

¼ cup (60 mL) roughly chopped toasted almonds

1 For the Candied Mandarin & Syrup, combine water, sugar and honey in a medium pot over medium heat; stir to dissolve sugar. Roughly crumble balsam over a double layer of cheesecloth large enough to enclose the needles; tie ends together and add to pot.

2 Trim ends from mandarins and squeeze the juice from the ends into pot; thinly slice remaining mandarin and remove pits. Add to pot and bring to a gentle boil; reduce to low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until peels are translucent and syrup has reduced to a scant ⅓ cup (80 mL). Gently remove slices to a rack and set aside; discard balsam. Reserve syrup.

3 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

4 Unroll pastry on a lightly floured surface; lightly dust top with flour. Roll out into a 12-inch (30-cm) square. Roll up using your rolling pin and fit into a 9-inch (23-cm) tart tin, gently pressing into sides; trim excess. Prick bottom with a fork; line with parchment and baking weights (or dried beans) and chill in fridge for 20 minutes.

5 Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment and continue to bake for another 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and crisp.

6 Meanwhile, make the filling. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, finely grind the balsam. Add to a food processor along with the cream cheese, icing sugar, honey and feta; process until very smooth. Turn out into a bowl and, using a spatula, stir in double cream.

7 Once crust is cool to the touch, add filling and spread to the edges. Chill tart for at least 1 hour and up to a day. Serve slices garnished with the candied fruit, syrup and almonds.

Serves 10 to 12