WALNUT TART

Serves 4 generously Preparation time 20-25 minutes, plus chilling Cooking time 30 minutes

“This is very much a part of Le Rouzet menus in the early autumn, when our walnuts are beginning to ripen and every tree seems to have a red squirrel perched in it, noisily eating our supply. It’s like a sophisticated treacle tart, but not heavy, and is really worth making even if you don’t have large quantities of walnuts to use up.”

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry

• 110g/4¼oz butter

• 140g/4¾oz flour

• 2 tbsp icing sugar

For the filling

• 20g/¾oz butter

• 200g/7oz golden syrup

• 100g/4oz walnut halves

• A pinch of mixed spice

• 100g/4oz mixed peel

• 4 madeleines (or alternatively you can use soft amaretti), crumbled

• 1 egg, beaten

To serve

Crème fraîche

1. Put the ingredients for the pastry into a food processor and mix until the dough forms a ball. Press the dough into a 20cm/8in tart tin with a removable base. Prick the pastry all over really thoroughly, even up the sides (this will prevent shrinkage) then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 190°C, 375°F, Gas 5.

3. For the filling, melt the butter and syrup in a saucepan, then stir in all the other ingredients. Pour the mixture into the prepared pastry case, return it to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

4. Leave the cooked tart to cool in the tin, but as soon as you can, loosen the edges of the tart or it will get stuck.

5. Serve with crème fraîche.