Рецепт Honey Cinnamon Zwetschgen and Hazelnut Cream Tart
After my return from Dubai I was thinking of taking a few days out before jumping into the familiar high powered routine I usually have. We arrived just in time for a bank holiday in the middle of the week and there was nothing standing in the way of a few extra days of tranquility and lounging around the house recuperating from the intense eight days in Dubai. I was not tired nor did I feel drained, on the contrary I was full of energy and motivated, raring to shift into sixth gear and zoom ahead.
Upon arrival Tom surprised us at the station. Originally he was due to arrive from Stockholm, where he works during the week, the following day, but seeing him standing on the platform lifted my spirits. Tom often plays the part of an anchor in my life. There are times when this irritates the hell out of me, as when I am on a roll the anchor feels heavy and burdens me. Truth is, in the back of my head I know, I need him to remind me to “take a nap”, “take a bath” or to “just look out of the window.” I need him to slow my bulldozing ahead and to take time to rest the brain and body to be “more constructive and creative” as he says.
Over the years I have taught myself to create islands of serenity for myself throughout the day, however there are times when you need more than an island. You need a continent where you reside in your pajamas, do nothing but read the weekend paper from page to page, take naps and eat waffles all day long. Away from the notebook, from the social networking, post-processing, proposal writing, workshop planning, sponsor searching, HTML tormenting, blog caring days that keeps me happily moving ahead. I love every aspect of what I do and I believe that is where the danger lies … it is hard to know where and when to draw the line. It’s all fun, isn’t it?
And when you are having fun why would you want to stop it, right? That’s where my wise husband will say “too much of a good thing also spoils the fun!” That simple!
A few days later, as we sat together with our calendars, coordinating our schedules and travel plans for next year, he murmured,
“I guess the rule applies here too!”
Recipe: Honey Cinnamon Zwetschgen and Hazelnut Cream Tart
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus time for shortcrust pastry
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
For the shortcrust pastry
- 225g all-purpose flour
- 100g butter, cold and diced
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- For the hazelnut cream 170g hazelnuts, pulsed very finely
- 50g brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 free-range eggs
- 1 vanilla pod, scraped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pinch fleur de sel
- For the topping 6-8 ripe zwetschgen or plums, sliced
- 1 egg, beaten with a splash of water
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey, warmed
Method:
For the shortcrust pastry, sieve the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle in the salt and cinnamon, then add 2-3 tablespoons water and mix to a firm dough. Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick. Line a 25cm diameter or a rectangular flat tart pan. Press the pastry in firmly and leave the excess hanging over the edge. Place pan in refrigerator and chill until the filling is prepared.
Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
Make the hazelnut cream by pulsing the hazelnuts finely in a food processor. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla seeds, flour and and fleur de sel and continue to pulse until combined thoroughly. The consistency of the mixture should be thick like pudding. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Assemble the tart, by brushing the the base and the sides of the prepared tart pastry with the egg wash. Pour the pastry cream into the tart and smooth it out with a spatula.. Arrange the zwetschgen slices on top of the cream, tucking the thin edge under the thicker. Cut off any excess pastry hanging from the pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the cream is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and brush the top and the border with the warm honey.
Notes: Serve the tart with some cream Chantilly or vanilla ice cream.
Verdict
Somewhere between frangipane and a pudding the filling is luscious and nutty, while the juicy zwetschgen bring fruity flavor to the tart. I love this shortcrust pastry recipe as it is flakey, crumbly and not too sweet. The recipe will work for sweet and savory tarts perfectly.
With this sweet treat I wish all my Indian friends and readers a very Happy Diwali! My warmest wishes to everyone - hope you lit up the sky with sparkles and crackers!
Finally, the latest edition of the Monthly Mingle is over at The Well-Seasoned Chef. Excited to have Susan hosting this with a fantastic theme - Pot Pies - cosy and comforting (it also complements the Plate to Page challenge - just saying!). You’ll find all the details on the announcement page. See you there!
More fruity tarts from WFLH:
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