Tag: Baking
Butterscotch Pear Tart with Blackberry Sauce

Butterscotch Pear Tart with Blackberry Sauce

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In a few weeks’ time hedgerows across the UK will start to drip with plump blackberries, ripe for the picking. As most hedgerows are free-for-all it’s easy to go on a walk with some boxes and to come back with mountains of free berries. If you want to preserve them they make great jams, ice creams and curds, but I find they also work really well as a sauce for this little butterscotch pear tart recipe.

You can use any type of pears in this tart. I went for conference as they’re an attractive shape and a nice flavour against the frangipane. I’d recommend using ripe pears, as under-ripe and they don’t soften enough in the oven, and if they’re over-ripe and they become a mush once cooked. I’d also strongly recommend making the butterscotch sauce yourself. You can buy it in shops, but it doesn’t taste anywhere near as good, and it only takes 5 minutes to put together, so it’s worth giving it a go.

One last thing – I first made this dessert in Cornwall and I found that serving it with a good scoop of clotted cream is a great way to make it truly decadent. The thick cream with the sweet, sharp, juicyness of the other components just works really well, so I’d recommend giving that a go. Right, now on with the recipe…

Ingredients

Serves 8 (Makes one large tart)

Time – 90 minutes, plus time to chill the pastry

For the pastry

  • 175g Plain flour
  • 2 tbsp Caster sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 115g Butter
  • 1 Egg yolk, beaten
  • 2 tbsp Cold water
  • 1 Egg white, slightly beaten

For the butterscotch sauce

  • 100g Butter
  • 100g Light muscovado
  • 4 tbsp Golden syrup
  • 8 tbsp Double cream

For the tart filling

  • 100g Ground almonds
  • 100g Caster sugar
  • 100g Butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • A few drops of almond essence
  • 2 Ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered

For the Blackberry sauce

  • 350g Blackberries (if they’re not in season when you make this, frozen ones also work)
  • 30g Sugar
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Ginger

Serve with more fresh blackberries and clotted cream

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. To make the pastry put the flour, caster sugar and salt into a bowl and mix with a round bladed knife. Add the butter to the bowl and cut it up into small pieces with the knife, coating in the flour as you do.
  2. Once the butter is in small chunks put the knife to one side and go in with your fingers. Rub the butter into the flour to create a mixture with the texture of breadcrumbs. Shake the bowl from side to side a couple of times to bring the large lumps to the top, make sure these are rubbed into the flour.
  3. Mix the egg yolk with the cold water. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the flour/butter mixture and bring it all together with a round bladed knife until a dough forms. Use your hands to make the dough into a ball and then wrap the dough in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour.
  4. To make the butterscotch sauce, put the butter, sugar and syrup into a pan and bring slowly to the boil whilst stirring. Then stop stirring, reduce the heat, and leave to simmer for 3 minutes until the mixture has thickened and begins to hold its shape. Stir in the cream, remove from the heat, and leave to cool.
  5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface into the shape of your tin. You want it to be as thin as possible (no thicker than a pound coin). Make sure you move the pastry round frequently to stop it sticking to the table. Compare the size pastry sheet to the size of your tin. You want the pastry a couple of cm wider than the tin so that the pastry will go up the sides and have a little overhang.
  6. To easily get the large pastry sheet into the tin, put the rolling pin at the half-way point of the pastry. Then flip the pastry in half, over the rolling pin. You can then pick the rolling pin up and drag the pastry over the tin. Press the pastry into the flutes in the tin, sometimes using a piece of pastry to do this can be easier than using your fingers. Let the pastry hang over the edge, then use a rolling pin to trim off the excess by rolling over the edge of the tart. Chill the base in the fridge for another hour.
  7.  Line the tart with baking paper and baking beans (or dry rice if you don’t have any) and put into the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
  8. Remove the baking parchment and the baking beans (careful, they’ll be very hot). Lightly brush the pastry with the beaten egg white and then return them to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Take out of the oven and leave to cool completely.
  9. To make the frangipane, mix the ground almonds, sugar, butter, egg and extract together until smooth. Spoon 2 tbsp of the butterscotch sauce into the case and smooth out with the back of a spoon to cover the base. Pour the rest of the sauce into a jug for serving. Spoon some of the frangipane into the case and smooth out over the sauce. Create a slight well in the centre by pushing more of the mixture up the sides of the case.
  10. Take the pear quarters and arrange on top of the frangipane so that the smooth outside of the pear is facing up. Press the pears down slightly, into the frangipane as you do this. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until both the pear and frangipane are cooked.
  11. Whilst the tart bakes make the blackberry sauce. Put the blackberries into a medium size saucepan with 60ml water, the sugar and the spices. Stir to combine and then leave to simmer until the blackberries have become a mush. Use a hand blender to puree the mixture and then sieve to remove the seeds. Pour the sauce into another jug to serve.
  12. Once the tart is out of the oven leave it to cool slightly. Then take it out of the tin and place on a board. Serve with the blackebrry sauce, the leftover butterscotch sauce, fresh blackberries and plenty of clotted cream. Relax and enjoy!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this one! New post is coming out on Sunday. Until then, any comments or questions just let me know.

Emma x
Chocolate Fondants

Chocolate Fondants

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Be ready for a long post – these are amazing and I have a lot to say about them! I first made these fondants for a cookery competition 6 years ago, and I’ve been regularly making them ever since. There’s something highly addictive about the taste-texture combination of these little puddings which will have you making them again and again.

They take a little bit of time to master due to the precision needed in the cooking time, and as ovens vary so much you really have to find the perfect time for your particular oven. Cook them for too long and there will be no fondant, too short and there’s no sponge. Instead of using a skewer, like you would for a cake, you have to go on instinct of what the surface texture should look like, in order to know when to take them out the oven.  But apart from the baking bit, they’re really easy to make so I’d recommend giving them a go. Even if they’re under or over baked (and believe me, mine have been both many times) they taste good, so you can’t really lose.

This dessert also looks and sounds impressive, so I’ve found that it works really well as a dinner party dessert. You can make the mixture, and put it into the moulds, up to 48 hours before the party. Chill them in the fridge, then bring them out at least an hour before they go in the oven, to bring them back up to room temperature. This doesn’t affect the quality of the finished dessert and it will give you more time on the day to make everything else. It’s also really easy to make these dairy-free. Simply use soya margarine instead of butter, and make sure the dark chocolate you use has no milk in it. They taste identical to the normal versions, so if you have anyone dairy-free to cook for, instead of making a different or altered dessert for them, you can make these for everyone and no one will notice the difference.

Fondants I made for a dinner party (above)

That said, whilst these are good for parties and for sharing, my favourite time to make them is for a good night in. There’s something truly comforting about a quick-to-make cake which has a soft exterior and then a puddle of velvety sauce in the middle. So, if you’ve been looking for a quick dessert which exudes chocolately gooeyness, and is perfect for a quiet evening, you’ve just found it.

Recipe

Serves 4

Time – 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100g Unsalted butter
  • 150g Dark chocolate, chopped roughly
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Egg yolks (see below for what to do with the egg whites)
  • 120g Sugar
  • 100g Plain flour
  • A pinch of salt (this really brings out the chocolate flavour)

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C. Grease four small pudding basins with butter and put onto a baking tray.
  2. In a heat-proof bowl put the butter and the chocolate. Place over a pan of gently simmering water and leave to melt, stirring occasionally.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together until pale a fluffy. An electric whisk is quicker and easier, but a hand whisk also works.
  4. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking continuously until smooth.
  5. Add the flour and salt to the mixture and whisk again until fully combined.
  6. Pour the mixture into the four pudding moulds. At this point you can cover the moulds in cling film and chill in the fridge for up to two days, just make sure they return to room temperature before cooking.
  7. Put the fondants into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. This time works for me, but as all ovens can vary I’d recommend going on the texture rather than a specific time. You want the surface of the fondants to be just skinning over, so that the edges are cooked but the middle is very soft. If anything bring them out a little too early than too late. If they are too liquid when tipped out, you can quickly microwave them for 20 seconds to cook more of the batter.
  8. Take the fondants out of the oven and use a knife to loosen them from the edge of the moulds. Carefully turn them out onto plates and serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

These are really good with…

  • Fruit sorbet (raspberry and mango are particularly good ones to try)
  • Any flavour ice cream
  • Salted caramel sauce
  • Fresh fruit (e.g raspberries or strawberries)
  • Clotted, double or squirty cream
  • Fruit sauce (e.g coulis)
  • Chocolate chips or chocolate decorations

 

How to use up leftover egg whites…

This recipe, like so many others I come across, results in leftover egg whites. You separate the eggs, put the yolks into the batter and are left with two perfectly good, unused whites. They keep in the fridge for up to two days, and can be used for so many things, so rather than throwing them away, here’s some ways of using them up….

  1. Meringues – about 80% of the time I have left over egg whites I turn them into meringues. A simple combo of caster sugar and egg white, meringues are surprisingly simple to make and can be used in so many ways (such as daquoise, pavalova, or meringue kisses – made by pipping the meringue into peaks on a baking tray). If you are going to make meringues though, or any of the following which involve a meringue base (they have a * next to them) it’s better to use the egg whites on the same day as you separate the eggs, as you’ll get a stiffer peak from the mixture, resulting in a better meringue.
  2. Lining pastry – When making pastry brush the whites onto the pastry after taking the beans out for a blind bake. Put the pastry back in the oven for a further 5 minutes after brushing to firm up the base even more. This will act as a barrier between the pastry and the filling, keeping the base crisp.
  3. Marshmallows* – these start off as swiss meringue, and then use gelatin to give that incredible pillowy texture. Like meringues, these can be customised with fruit, nuts and chocolate to make them even more special, and they last for up to two weeks.
  4. They’re still eggs– the eggs may have lost their yolks, but they can still be cooked in the ways you would normally cook an egg. You can fry, scramble or poach the whites as you would  normally.
  5. Mousse* – whilst many mousse recipes require the whole egg, some are egg whites only, and thus can be a good thing to make when left over whites are hanging around. Whilst these don’t technically have a meringue base, it’s still important to use the egg whites fresh, as it will allow more air to be trapped, and so will result in a better mixture.
  6. Icing – egg whites can be used to make royal icing for anything in need of some icing, including Christmas cakes, so if you happen to have one lying around that you need to ice…
  7. Macaroons* – another meringue based delight. Add almonds and a bit of flourish and you’ve got these great little biscuits.
  8. Bread glazes – if you’re into bread making you can use the whites to glaze bagels, buns and loaves. Brush them over with the whites after their second prove, or just before putting them into the oven. If you want a golden crust you’ll be better off using egg yolks, but the whites can still give a beautiful shine.
  9. Cakes – Some cakes, such as angel food cake, use only egg whites, so why not make a lighter-than air cake with some of the leftover egg whites?
  10. Soufflés – These are really fun to make! You can make them in almost any flavours and they taste amazing. They maybe aren’t so great to make on the same day as cooking the fondants, as they’re best with fresh egg whites, and need to be baked and eaten immediately after being made. However, if you’re chilling your fondant mixture for another day, these are great for a decadent dinner dessert.

I hope you enjoyed this post! More coming soon so keep a look out. Any requests, comments or questions don’t hesitate to ask.

Emma x
Sweet Nachos

Sweet Nachos

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Now, it’s never possible to have too much of a good thing, so why stop at savoury nachos? The following is my version of sweet nachos. They’re particularly good for BBQs, a great share plate for a movie night, and perfect for bonfire night. Just like the savoury version, these can also be adapted to your personal taste. I’ve also included 3 alternative sweet-nacho combos below, which make equally good dessert pyramids. 

Recipe

Serves 6

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 6 Small flour tortillas (no more than 14cm diameter)
  • 2 tbsp Butter, melted
  • 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • 100g Caster sugar
  • 50g Mini marshmallows
  • 50g Chilli chocolate
  • 50g White chocolate
  • 35g Chopped hazelnuts
  • 200g Double cream, with 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, whisked to soft peaks
  • 50g Salted caramel sauce
  • 200g Strawberries, hulled and chopped into chunks
  • 100g Raspberries
  • 20g Coco nibs
  • 20g Popping candy

For the coulis

  • 200g Strawberries
  • 30g Caster sugar

Serve with raspberry compote and mango sorbet

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Brush a baking tray lightly with the melted butter.
  2. Place one tortilla onto a chopping board and brush lightly with the melted butter, ensuring it’s covered all over. Place another tortilla on top of the buttered one and brush it with butter. Continue with the others until you have a stack of buttered tortillas.
  3. Take a large knife and cut the pile in half. Then cut each half in half again, and repeat twice more so you have 8 tortilla stacks.
  4. In a bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar. Separate the tortilla stacks so that each chip is a single layer and arrange the chips on the buttered tray. Sprinkle the chips with the cinnamon sugar so each one is evenly coated
  5. Put the chips in the oven for 6-10 minutes, until they’re crisp and slightly brown.
  6. To check if the chips are done test the edges to see if they are crisp and dry. The middle may be slightly softer, but they’ll crisp up as they dry. If the middles don’t crisp up once out of the oven, place back into the oven for 2-3 minutes. Once the crisps are done place them to one side and leave them to cool.
  7. Meanwhile, break up the two chocolates into chunks and put into two separate heatproof bowls. Place each over a pan of water on a medium, heat and leave to melt gently.
  8. Whilst waiting for the chocolates to melt, make the strawberry coulis. Place the strawberries and the sugar in a pan over a medium heat with 25ml water. Heat gently until the strawberries have collapsed and have released their juice. Blend the mixture with a hand blender to create a smooth mixture (you can also sieve the mixture if you want to remove the pips, but it’s not essential). Pour the coulis into a small jug and place to one side.
  9. Begin to assemble the nachos by scattering half the chips on a plate or baking tray lined with baking paper (whatever you want to serve it on). Drizzle with a little of the chocolate, and scatter with nuts, strawberries, caramel sauce and marshmallows. Pile the rest of the chips on top in a pyramid shaped pile. Top with the rest of the marshmallows and strawberries. (If you have a blow torch you can now quickly blast the marshmallows to caramelise them). Dollop the cream in blobs around the stack, drizzle with the rest of the caramel and chocolate and top with the rest of the hazelnuts, the cocoa nibs and popping candy. Serve immediately with the coulis and any ice cream or sorbet you wish.

Alternatives

  1. Tropical – Make the nacho chips the same way as above, but without the cinnamon. Then top with chopped mango, pineapple, coconut chips, whisked vanilla cream, dark chocolate and passion fruit.
  2. Banoffee – Top the cinnamon chips with maple syrup, whipped cream, chopped banana, chocolate chips and pecan praline (made by mixing pecans with caramel and adding a pinch of salt. Leave to cool on baking paper and then break up into small pieces).
  3. Caramel apple – Top the cinnamon chips with chopped up apples ( a mix of granny smith and royal gala is particularly good), salted caramel sauce, chopped up snicker bars, peanuts, and vanilla ice cream.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the recipe. Any questions or comments dont hesitate to contact me. Look out for my next post!

Emma x