French Martini Tart
World Cocktail Day is 13 May and, in honour of my favourite cocktail, I came up with this semi-deconstructed tart recipe. It consists of four layers: a brown butter pastry base, a pineapple frangipane, a Chambord-infused raspberry cremeux, and a stabilised cream topping, to emulate the cocktail froth (my favourite part). Gold leaf optional!
The stabilised cream means that the topping will hold its shape over a longer period of time, ideal if you're not serving the tart immediately. However, if you don't fancy that extra hassle, just pipe whipped double cream over the top instead.
There will be a small amount of Chambord-infused raspberry puree left over when making the raspberry cremeux. If you've used tinned pineapple, don't throw away the juice. You can use the leftover puree and juice to make a French martini or two: simply combine the puree, juice, another splash of Chambord, and a splash of vodka, and shake with ice until frothy. Serve with fresh raspberries.
Ingredients
For the pastry base
For the raspberry cremeux
1. Make the raspberry puree by blending the raspberries and Chambord together using a handheld blender or food processor. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds. Put to one side.
World Cocktail Day is 13 May and, in honour of my favourite cocktail, I came up with this semi-deconstructed tart recipe. It consists of four layers: a brown butter pastry base, a pineapple frangipane, a Chambord-infused raspberry cremeux, and a stabilised cream topping, to emulate the cocktail froth (my favourite part). Gold leaf optional!
The stabilised cream means that the topping will hold its shape over a longer period of time, ideal if you're not serving the tart immediately. However, if you don't fancy that extra hassle, just pipe whipped double cream over the top instead.
There will be a small amount of Chambord-infused raspberry puree left over when making the raspberry cremeux. If you've used tinned pineapple, don't throw away the juice. You can use the leftover puree and juice to make a French martini or two: simply combine the puree, juice, another splash of Chambord, and a splash of vodka, and shake with ice until frothy. Serve with fresh raspberries.
Ingredients
For the pastry base
- 125g cold butter
- 200g plain flour
- 50g icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 10g raspberry dust
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp cold water
- 70g ground almonds
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 40g butter
- 50g fresh/tinned pineapple
- 300g fresh raspberries
- 2 tbsp Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
For the raspberry cremeux
- 150g raspberry puree (divided into 100g and 50g portions)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg
- 45g caster sugar
- 60g butter
- 2 leaves of gelatine
- 315ml double cream (divided into 300ml and 15ml portions)
- 1 gelatine leaf
- 50g icing sugar
- 1 tsp Chambord
- Raspberry dust
- Gold edible leaf
- 20cm round loose-bottomed non-stick DEEP tin
- A circle of baking parchment
1. Make the raspberry puree by blending the raspberries and Chambord together using a handheld blender or food processor. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds. Put to one side.
2. To make the pastry, firstly make the brown butter by melting the butter in a saucepan and letting it sizzle until it turns brown. This will leave some brown sediment: sieve the butter to remove the sediment and then leave the butter to cool. Once cool, put in the fridge to harden.
3. Once the butter has hardened, mix the flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl, and rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the raspberry dust, mix briefly and then stir in the egg yolk and 2 tsp cold water. Place a circle of parchment at the bottom of the tin and then press the crumbly dough into it, compressing it using a potato masher. Make sure it's as level as possible. Chill the pastry in the tin for 10 minutes in the freezer. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C non-fan).
3. Once the butter has hardened, mix the flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl, and rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the raspberry dust, mix briefly and then stir in the egg yolk and 2 tsp cold water. Place a circle of parchment at the bottom of the tin and then press the crumbly dough into it, compressing it using a potato masher. Make sure it's as level as possible. Chill the pastry in the tin for 10 minutes in the freezer. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C non-fan).
4. Once chilled, place another piece of baking parchment on top of the pastry base and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 minutes at 160°C fan (180°C non-fan). Then, remove the baking beans and parchment, and prick the base using a fork - aim to prick it fairly deep but don't go right to the bottom of the tin. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes to finish baking.
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5. To make the frangipane, firstly prepare the pineapple: cut the pieces into small chunks (see picture below) and then use kitchen roll to extract as much of the juice as possible - keep extracting the juice until the pieces look significantly drier (this will prevent the frangipane making the pastry base soggy). Then, mix all the frangipane ingredients except the pineapple together, and stir in the pineapple chunks.
6. Grease the exposed sides of the tin and then spread the frangipane mix evenly over the pastry base and bake for 30 minutes at 160°C fan (180°C non-fan). Leave to cool IN the tin, placed on a cooling rack.
5. To make the frangipane, firstly prepare the pineapple: cut the pieces into small chunks (see picture below) and then use kitchen roll to extract as much of the juice as possible - keep extracting the juice until the pieces look significantly drier (this will prevent the frangipane making the pastry base soggy). Then, mix all the frangipane ingredients except the pineapple together, and stir in the pineapple chunks.
6. Grease the exposed sides of the tin and then spread the frangipane mix evenly over the pastry base and bake for 30 minutes at 160°C fan (180°C non-fan). Leave to cool IN the tin, placed on a cooling rack.
7. To make the cremeux, soften the leaf gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Use an electric handwhisk to whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar together until light and foamy. Warm 100g of the puree in a medium sized saucepan (it shouldn't boil - it should just be warm). Turn off the heat. Mix half of this warmed puree with the foamy egg mixture and then pour this into the saucepan to join the other half of the puree. Cook on a low heat for about 3 minutes until thickened and foamy, stirring constantly.
8. Stir the butter in gently, so as not to incorporate more air. Remove the gelatine from the cold water, dry it off using kitchen towel and then add it to the mixture. It will melt upon contact. Mix gently until fully incorporated. Then, add another 50g of puree and mix again. Pour it over the frangipane and leave it to cool for at least an hour until transferring it to the fridge for at least 4 hours until set.
8. Stir the butter in gently, so as not to incorporate more air. Remove the gelatine from the cold water, dry it off using kitchen towel and then add it to the mixture. It will melt upon contact. Mix gently until fully incorporated. Then, add another 50g of puree and mix again. Pour it over the frangipane and leave it to cool for at least an hour until transferring it to the fridge for at least 4 hours until set.
9. Once the cremeux has set, make the stabilised cream. Soften the leaf gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Heat 15ml double cream in a saucepan until warm (not boiling). Add the leaf gelatine and mix until dissolved and incorporated.
10. Begin beating the double cream using an electric hand whisk. When it's begun foaming, add the icing sugar and teaspoon of Chambord. Beat to soft peaks and then add the cooled gelatine cream. Beat again until fairly stiff peaks form. Use a piping bag and round nozzle to pipe circles over the top of the tart. Sprinkle with raspberry dust and decorate with edible gold leaf. Serve with a martini or two!