Pear and vanilla tart
So pastry, then. Well it’s a bit of a sod, frankly and I try not to bother if at all possible. I always get it all stuck to the rolling pin (not being the dantiest of bakers) but hey, my family don’t mind my rustic baking. I was telling me Ma, then, about Bill Granger’s fantastically easy pastry made with melted butter. He pinched it off Patricia Wells so I, in turn, pinched it off him, then twiddled it a bit (I know, I just can’t help it). It makes beautiful, shortbready pastry which is perfect for any kind of pie, but specifically for fruit pies as it absorbs a bit of excess liquid and still remains yummy.
It’s dead easy, too:
4oz butter
4 oz caster sugar
6 oz plain flour
So just melt the butter, stir it in to the sugar and then add in the flour, stirring until it makes a nice soft dough, then press it into a loose bottomed tart tin (ooer) with your fingers, pushing it up the edges. And that’s it – you’re a pastry goddess (or god, natch). Bung it in a moderate oven (180/gas 4) for about 15 minutes (keep an eye on it, the baking time will depend on the size of tin/thickness of pastry), no baking beans required.
Now to the filling – basically the world’s your oyster: got fresh cherries? Perfect. Strawberries? Yep, those too. Only got a tin of pears? They’ll do fine. Just make sure you drain whatever you use quite well (especially if the fruit was frozen). Don’t put any extra juice in as, let’s face it, nobody likes a soggy tart, do they. I sliced a couple of over-ripe pears from the fruit bowl and arranged them not very artfully in the tart base. Mr Hyper-critical said I should have peeled them first but he still managed to force down about four slices.
Next make your custardy stuff. If you’re feeling flash, use cream. Otherwise milk will do just fine too:
2 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp caster sugar
1/4 pint cream or milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (not essence!)*
Mix the sugar and flour in a bowl, then whisk the eggs, cream and vanilla in a jug, pour into the sugar and flour and mix it all together. Pour this over your fruit and bake the whole lot (on a baking tray in case of accidents, people!). It’ll probably take at least 40 minutes to set, but again, this depends on your filling. It might need a bit longer.
Leave it to cool slightly then slice and serve with cream. It’s rather yummy cold too. Can I say here that I didn’t have a wide enough tart tin so my pastry got a little too brown before the centre was cooked. Hey, at least I’m honest.
*NOTE: For the poncy amongst us, yes you can put your cream or milk on the hob, split a fresh vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds then warm the whole lot gently, reserving the pod before cooling and adding the rest of the ingredients . But frankly, it’s just as easy to add a couple of teaspoons of good vanilla extract. I’ll leave that for you to decide.
Have you tried Bill’s Mandarin and Almond cake EM? Yeah ok it’s a total pain in the ar*e simmering mandarins for a 2hrs but ooooh it’s worth it. Yumsies!
Susan: Hubby and I were commenting on how my baking habit continually ruins our health. I’ll have to take up making veggie soups or something, sorry! x
Thrifty: Oooh, plums would be good. And our hedges are loaded with blackberries too…blackberry and apple (insert Homer drool noise here)
Jen: Mandarin and almond cake? Sounds rather yummy – and I’m all for a bit of simmering on a slow day – where will I find this delight??
My trees are also great for upsetting my prudish sister in law when she call’s ’round. Plums and pears are rich double entendre territory.
I have one of Bill’s books, but here, found it on the net for you – scroll down to page 2….
http://www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/files/Celebrity-chefs-help-create-a-stir-for-cancer-research.pdf
Made a fab bread and butter pudding yesterday I might have to post the recipe…….no photo though – there’s only one piece left!
Kate: I’d like that recipe – mind you, I’d probably just eat it all! x
Ned: Ooh tarte tatin. Yum. Would it be more caramelly if you used demarara? That’s probably cheating, though. Mine was meant to look like those beautiful fruit tartes you get in French bakeries, but it came out a bit more ham-fisted. Still it tasted okay. x
Many Thanks for the recipe. Made it this past weekend with blackberries & nectarines. My husband thought it was the best dessert ever and thinks we shouldn’t make another for at least 6 months – we just couldn’t keep our hands off it! The crust alone is dead easy and very repeatable. I’m thinking maybe a little more custard and toasted coconut next time. Again, my thanks to you and those you pinched it from. (Love your blog!)