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Medjool date and pistachio frangipane tart
Serves 8 AS 1 BIG TART OR 8 TARTLETS Desserts and puddings
For the pâte brisée
- 250g plain white flour
- 1tsp salt
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2-3tbsp chilled water and orange flower water, mixed
For the crystallised rose petals
- petals from 2-3 red roses
- 1 egg white
- caster sugar
For the pistachio frangipane
- 100g butter
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 egg, beaten, plus 1 egg yolk
- 1tbsp Pedro Ximénez sherry
- 100g skinless bright green pistachios, ground
- 2tbsp plain flour (or cornflour) around 24 plump medjool dates
- 30g slivered green pistachios, to decorate (available from souschef.co.uk)
- edible gold leaf sprinkles (optional), to decorate crème anglaise, to serve
You will need
- 25-27cm tart tin
Method
First make the pastry. Sift the
flour and salt onto a sheet of
greaseproof paper. Put the
butter and egg yolk into a food
processor and blend in short
bursts until smooth, add the
waters and blend again. Shoot
in the flour and work until just
combined. Turn out onto a lightly
floured work surface and knead
gently until smooth. Form into
a ball, flatten slightly and wrap in
cling film. Chill the pastry for at
least 30 minutes.
Allow the pastry to come to room temperature before rolling out and lining a 25-27cm normal depth tart tin. Chill.
Meanwhile, crystallise the rose petals. Preheat the oven to 80C/60C Fan/Gas very low.
Beat the egg white until frothy, then paint sparingly onto the clean, dry rose petals. Sprinkle with caster sugar to completely coat, arrange on non-stick baking parchment-lined oven tray and bake for 30 minutes, or until dry and crunchy, then set aside to cool. Store between layers of kitchen paper in an airtight tin.
While the petals are drying, remove the stones from the dates by slitting down one side and flicking them out. Set aside.
After the petals are dry and cooling, turn the oven up to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a thick baking sheet on the middle shelf to heat up.
Now make the frangipane. Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, gradually whisk in the egg and yolk, beating well between additions. Stir in the sherry and ground pistachios and flour mix. Pour into the chilled pastry case.
Arrange the dates in the
frangipane, pushing them in so
that they peep out. Place the tart
in the oven, bake for 10 minutes
then lower the temperature to
180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and bake
for 20 minutes longer, or until
the frangipane is set (if it browns
too quickly, cover with a sheet of
tinfoil). Remove and cool.
When cool, decorate with rose petals, slivered pistachios and edible gold leaf sprinkles. Serve at room temperature with crème anglaise to accompany.
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