One of my best friends Georgie is an amazing cook (she's finished Cordon Bleu) and she's constantly uploading delicious looking pictures of her creations on instagram. Here's one of her latest.
Having just returned from a holiday in the Dordogne, I have walnuts and figs on my mind! I tried a great recipe from Waitrose a while ago and this is a slightly adapted version. If you wanted to avoid making pastry, you could buy ready rolled sweet shortcrust pastry instead.
Honey
and Walnut tart with Figs and Mascarpone
Serves
8
Sweet
Pastry
125g
Unsalted Butter, cut into 1cm cubes (cold but pliable)
125g
Caster Sugar
4
Medium Egg Yolks
Few
Drops Vanilla Essence
Pinch
of Salt
250g
Plain Flour
Filling
275g
Walnut Halves, roughly chopped (soaked in hot water for an hour and then
drained)
75g
Unsalted Butter, softened
75g Caster Sugar
1
tbsp, Plain Flour
75g
Clear Honey
3
Medium Eggs, beaten
2
tbsp Oloroso Sherry
4
Figs
400g
Mascarpone
Icing
Sugar
Method
1.
For the pastry, cream the butter and sugar in a food processor. Mix in
the egg, salt and vanilla essence. Add flour and pulse until the ingredients
come together. Knead briefly in cling film to ensure pastry is smooth. Wrap in
cling film shaping into a round disk. Refrigerate for 30 mins to allow the
pastry to relax.
2.
Once the pastry is pliable but not sticky, roll it out on a lightly
floured surface until it is 3-4mm thick. Drape over rolling pin and lower
into a 23cm loose bottomed tart tin. Using your fingers ease the pastry into
the sides of the tin and gently press the pastry in without reading or
stretching it. Patch up where necessary. Use the rolling pin to remove any
excess pastry by rolling from the centre of the tin to the edge of the ring.
Neaten the sides with your fingers. Cover with cling film and refrigerate until
firm. Preheat oven to 190C/Gas Mark 5.
3.
Line the pastry with crumpled grease proof paper (ensuring edges are
covered) and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake blind in top 1/3 of
oven for 15 minutes or until sides have cooked through. Remove paper and baking
beans/rice and cook for a further 5-10 mins until the base is cooked (lost grey
appearance).
4.
Turn the oven down to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Make the filling. Whisk the
butter, flour, honey and sugar together until combined. Mix in eggs, a little
at a time, followed by the walnuts and the sherry. Spread evenly over the
pastry case (Be careful not to let the mixture spill over the edges of the
pastry as it will stick the pastry to the tin).
5.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until almost set with a slight wobble in the
centre. Meanwhile cut the figs into quarters, dust with icing sugar and grill
until they are soft but still hold their shape.
6.
Cool the tart for 15 mins and then carefully remove from the tin. Slice
and serve with the figs, mascarpone and a drizzle of honey.
Georgies Top 3 things in life:
Family & friends
Holidays
Chilli & lemongrass martinis
