Turmeric Chai Latte Tart
After a bracing wintry walk, I love nothing more than to return home to a warming mug of turmeric chai latte, complete with frothy foam on top. This tart combines those delicious flavours in an unusual yet delicious winter dessert. Its vibrant colour is a welcome sight in grey weather.
Due to the gelatin, this tart isn't suitable for freezing.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry case
For the topping
Equipment
Method
1. To make the pastry case, rub together the flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
After a bracing wintry walk, I love nothing more than to return home to a warming mug of turmeric chai latte, complete with frothy foam on top. This tart combines those delicious flavours in an unusual yet delicious winter dessert. Its vibrant colour is a welcome sight in grey weather.
Due to the gelatin, this tart isn't suitable for freezing.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry case
- 250g plain flour
- 125g butter, cubed
- 1 egg
- 10g icing sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 egg for brushing the case
- 3 turmeric chai teabags (I use Yogi Turmeric Chai Tea Bags, which also contain cinnamon and ginger)
- 150ml milk
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 4 sheets gelatin
- 700ml double cream
- 175g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp runny honey (if you don’t want to use honey, simply add another 25g sugar to the quantity above)
For the topping
- 200ml double cream, lightly whipped
- Sprinkling of ground cinnamon
Equipment
- 23cm flan case (at least 3cm in depth)
Method
1. To make the pastry case, rub together the flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the egg, sugar and salt, and mix until a dough forms. Add 1 tbsp water, and combine. Add another tbsp water if the dough has not yet come together. Don’t overwork it - the dough is ready when it’s smooth and all ingredients combined.
3. Wrap the dough in baking/greaseproof paper and leave it in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour.
4. When it’s well chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, creating an even disc large enough to fill the flan case. Ease the pastry gently into the tin, using a small ball of excess dough to press the pastry into the sides.
5. Chill the pastry case in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling:
6. Gently heat the milk in a saucepan with the tea bags. Bring to a simmer (not boil), and then remove from the heat and infuse for at least 15 minutes. Squeeze the tea bags and add the cinnamon and ginger. Strain the mix through muslin if you want.
7. Soften the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water. Once soft, soak up the excess moisture with kitchen paper.
8. Reheat the milk mixture over a gentle heat and then add the sugar. Stir until fully dissolved. Add the cream and bring the mixture slowly to the boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove it from the heat, stir in the honey (if using) and the gelatin until fully dissolved and then pass the mixture through a metal sieve.
9. Put the mixture in the fridge once it’s cooled down. It’s ready when it’s thickened (to the consistency of thick custard). A skin may have formed, which you can discard.
10. Place a piece of baking parchment in the base of the chilled pastry case and fill the case with baking beans. Bake the pastry case at 160°C fan (180°C non fan) for 20 minutes, remove the parchment and baking beans, and then prick the base with a fork. Bake it again for 5 minutes, and then brush the bottom and sides with the egg wash. Bake it again for 20 minutes until golden brown.
11. Once the pastry case is cool and the filling has thickened, pour the filling carefully into the pastry case and leave it to set in the fridge for several hours (3-4 hours minimum).
12. Once set, you can decorate the tart e.g. lightly whipped double cream, with a sprinkling of cinnamon, or edible flowers.