Plum and frangipane tart

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I’m extraordinarily enamoured by fruit tarts. They at all times really feel celebratory with their glistening tops and flaky bottoms. This one is an ideal mixture of almonds, in the way in which of frangipane, and splendidly perfumed plums. It’s a nice dessert to make forward of time as it should sit fortunately on the kitchen bench at room temperature.

6 plums, halved and stones eliminated, sliced
1 egg, for egg wash
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

For the candy pastry
400g plain flour, plus further for dusting
A pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp caster sugar
250g chilly unsalted butter, cubed
1 tbsp white vinegar
About 100ml iced water

For the frangipane
75g unsalted butter, softened
75g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
75g almond meal
1 egg
1 tbsp plain flour, sifted

To make the candy pastry, combine the flour, salt and sugar collectively in a big bowl. Rub the butter into the flour utilizing your fingertips or a pastry cutter till the combination is pebbly. You wish to rub the butter into flatter items reasonably than into one thing that resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle within the vinegar and sufficient iced water to simply carry the dough collectively. It’s going to nonetheless be shaggy, however ought to maintain collectively when pressed and never be dry or floury. Flatten right into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at the least one hour.

Take away the pastry from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to make it simpler to roll. Line a 30cm spherical baking tray with baking paper.

Roll the dough out on a evenly floured work floor into a big circle about 1.5mm thick, massaging the perimeters as you roll to stop it from cracking an excessive amount of. Drape the pastry over the ready tray and hold refrigerated till wanted.

To make the frangipane, place the butter, sugar and vanilla within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on excessive pace for about 4 minutes, till creamy and pale, then beat by way of the almond meal, egg and flour till mixed.

To make the tart, unfold the frangipane onto the bottom of the pastry, leaving a 1.5cm border. Prepare the plums on high of the frangipane filling, then fold the pastry edge over itself to create a ridged edge.

Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water, then brush the egg wash over the pastry edge and scatter generously with demerara sugar. Refrigerate the tart for half-hour.

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Bake the tart for 40 minutes or till the pastry is golden. Enable to chill earlier than serving.

Panna cotta with roasted nectarines and blueberries

Panna cotta interprets to “cooked cream” and it’s one in every of my favorite Italian desserts. Fortunately, it additionally occurs to be one of many easiest. I like it simply set – panna cotta ought to have a great wobble and sit on the plate droopily reasonably than extremely stiff. Mine is evenly perfumed with bay and lemon and closely scented with vanilla. Served with some evenly poached or roasted fruits – nectarines or apricots in summer season, rhubarb in spring, and citrus in winter – panna cotta is such a chic dessert, and an absolute pleasure to make.

Serves 4

500ml pure cream
1 vanilla pod, break up and seeds scraped
3 strips lemon peel
1 contemporary bay leaf
80g caster sugar
2 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
200g creme fraiche
Ice cubes
125g blueberries
Boiling water

For the roasted nectarines
5 nectarines, halved and stones eliminated, reduce into wedges
2 tbsp uncooked sugar

Place the cream in a saucepan with the vanilla seeds and pod, lemon peel and bay leaf. Deliver to a simmer over medium warmth and cook dinner for 2 minutes or till barely thickened – don’t let it boil. Add the sugar and whisk to dissolve, cooking the cream for an additional one minute. Take away from the warmth.

In the meantime, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of chilly water till softened. Squeeze the surplus water from the gelatine and whisk it into the cream combination. Whisk within the creme fraiche, then pressure the combination by way of a superb sieve right into a bowl. Reserve the vanilla pod, bay leaf and lemon peel.

Sit the bowl in a bigger bowl full of ice cubes and whisk the combination for eight to 10 minutes, till cool. Pour the combination into a big jug after which divide amongst 4 small bowls or ramekins. Chill within the fridge for 5 hours or till simply set. As soon as the panna cotta has set, cowl every bowl or ramekin with plastic or beeswax wrap and return to the fridge.

Whereas the panna cotta is setting, put together the roasted nectarines. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the nectarines in a deep baking tray so they’re good and cushty and scatter over the sugar. Rinse the vanilla pod, bay leaf and lemon peel that you simply used to flavour the cream. Add these to the nectarines together with 125 ml of water. Roast within the oven for half-hour or till the fruit is tender.

Switch the nectarines to a big bowl and add the blueberries. Stir to mix and permit to fully cool. You possibly can retailer the fruit in a container within the fridge till able to serve.

Dip every panna cotta bowl or ramekin right into a bowl full of boiling water for 20 seconds, then invert onto plates. Serve with the roasted nectarines and blueberries.

Peach custard tart

There’s something fairly nostalgic, nearly child-like, concerning the mixture of peaches and custard. Right here I’ve taken that mixture and turned it right into a reasonably giant peach tart, spiked with lemon and nutmeg, that’s completely made for sharing. The pastry and custard might be made effectively prematurely and saved within the fridge till able to bake.

Serves 10-12

500g plain flour, plus further for dusting
A pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
300g chilly unsalted butter, cubed
1 tbsp white vinegar
About 200ml iced water
1 egg, for egg wash
2 tbsp demerara sugar

For the custard
2 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
20g plain flour
20g cornflour
500ml full cream milk
1 vanilla pod, break up and seeds scraped

For the peaches
1.2kg peaches (about 8)
Iced water
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3 tbsp caster sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
1 vanilla pod, break up and seeds scraped

Combine the flour, salt and sugar collectively in a big bowl. Rub the butter into the flour utilizing your fingertips or a pastry cutter till the combination is pebbly. You wish to rub the butter into flatter items reasonably than into one thing that resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the vinegar excessive, then pour over sufficient iced water to simply carry the dough collectively. It’s going to nonetheless be shaggy, however ought to maintain collectively when pressed and never be dry or floury. Flatten right into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill within the fridge for at the least one hour.

To make the custard, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a big bowl, till pale and thick. Sift within the flours, combine effectively and put aside. Heat the milk and the vanilla seeds and pod in a saucepan over low warmth (till about 38C on an instant-read thermometer). Pressure the milk and add to the egg combination, just some tablespoons at a time to start with, whisking between every addition. After 1 / 4 of the milk has been whisked in, whisk in all the remaining milk directly. Pour the combination right into a clear saucepan and set over medium warmth. Deliver to a simmer, whisking consistently as it might scorch simply. Scale back the warmth to low and cook dinner, stirring consistently, for 2 to a few minutes, till thick. Switch to a bowl or container and canopy the floor of the custard with plastic wrap. Be certain it’s instantly touching the custard, to cease a pores and skin forming, then refrigerate till prepared to make use of.

To organize the peaches, with a knife, reduce a shallow cross within the base of every peach. Blanch the peaches in a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds to at least one minute, then drain and refresh in iced water. The skins ought to now slip away. Minimize the peaches in half, take away the stones and slice into wedges. Place in a big bowl with the nutmeg, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla seeds. Toss to mix and put aside.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a 40 cm × 25 cm baking tray with baking paper.

Take away the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to make it simpler to roll. On a evenly floured work floor, roll the dough out into a big rectangle, about 45cm × 30cm, massaging the perimeters as you roll to stop it from cracking an excessive amount of. Drape the pastry over the ready tray.

Unfold the custard over the bottom of the pastry, leaving a 4cm border. Prepare the peach wedges on high of the custard, then fold the pastry border in in the direction of the tart to create a raised edge. Whisk the egg with one teaspoon of water and brush the pastry edges with the egg wash. Scatter the perimeters with the demerara sugar and bake for 45to 50 minutes, till the pastry is golden. Serve at room temperature.