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pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts

June 8, 2010

strawberry rhubarb tart

Yesterday when I was at the market going through the usual vegetable section, I saw a lone pair of greenish stalks on one of the shelves. I almost didn’t pay any attention to it, thinking it was celery.  And just when I went closer to pick up the box of endamame beans placed right next to it, I did a double take. Crimson stalks? And then suddenly all the images of rhubarb I had seen on the internet flashed through my head. A little scratching on the surface gave me the tangy smell that I safely assumed to be rhubarb. I still couldn’t believe my luck, so I went over to the shop attendant and he confirmed that it was indeed rhubarb. The joy, the joy!

And just like that, the fate of the last pair of rhubarb stalks was sealed: I’d go home and make strawberry rhubarb tarts!

I read up a little on how to cook with rhubarb. Should it be peeled? Should it be precooked? What proportion of strawberries to rhubarb should I use? I tried to keep my expectations as low as I could (though it was hard) because on many an occasion I’ve just ended up tossing the stuff that has got a backing of a hundred reviews.

strawberry rhubarb tart

So anyway, I chopped up gorgeous stalks of rhubarb, one green and one pink and tossed it with half a cup of sugar (you can adjust this depending on how tart your berries are and how sweet you’d like them to be) and frozen strawberries and let it sit for about 30 minutes. This way the frozen strawberries will soften and the tart rhubarb will absorb the sugar. This mixture tends to get watery, especially when using frozen berries, so just pick the filling up with the fork so the dough doesn’t get too mushy. Also, in the end you can top the syrup with some club soda and treat yourself to a strawberry-rhubarb fizz. It’s delicious.

For the tart base, I used the Ottolenghi recipe I used for the chocolate tart I made a while ago. To kick it up a notch, I used half vanilla bean sugar and half icing sugar. The dough smelled lovelier than any other dough I’d made before and looked so pretty with the tiny specs of vanilla in it. After this was refrigerated for a bit, I rolled it out into a large rectangle of about 1/8th inch thickness. Then I cut that up into 4 equal parts and placed the filling in the middle and pinched the sides together and transferred them to the baking sheet. That’s it! No fluted tart pans. No buying multiple small pans to make individual sizes. No worrying about blind baking. And if someone has the nerve to complain about the jagged edges, tell them that’s the rustic look you were trying to achieve. Besides, I actually think this rustic look is kinda cute.

strawberry rhubarb tart

So did it meet my expectations? It sure did! Everyone at home loved it, although they weren’t really fascinated about the big rhubarb discovery (I know!). The baked tart is not too sweet, and it’s not too tart, and though it would probably be nice with some vanilla ice cream, I’d like to eat mine warm and just the way it is.  I’m so happy that we finally get rhubarb here. Now I can start saving rhubarb recipes, which earlier, I only gawked at. Have you any suggestions?

Individual strawberry rhubarb tarts
Serves: 4

Tart base:
½ recipe of the Ottolenghi tart dough recipe.

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
2 stalks / 200 rhubarb, sliced with the skin on
200g strawberries, quartered fresh or frozen
½ cup / 100g caster sugar

Equipment:
Pastry blender and Bench scraper

Method:

  1. In a bowl stir together all the ingredients for the filling and let it sit together for 30 minutes.
  2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle of 1/8th inch thickness and cut through the centres to get 4 rectangles.
  3. Now place the filling in the centre of these individual rectangles.
  4. Try to work quickly, so the dough doesn’t get too warm and soft, making it harder to handle. Fold the edge of the dough toward the filling and up, to create a ruffled edge. Continue around the perimeter, until all of the filling has been held by the ruffled sleeve. Slide a bench scraper or spatula under the tart and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking tray.
  5. Freeze or refrigerate this for 30 minutes, or until the dough has firmed up.
  6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C/340F for 25-30 minutes; until the pastry is golden and the juices are bubbling.
  7. Serve warm!

{ 17 comments }

Fig Tart with Vanilla Scented Frangipane

December 12, 2009

 Fig Tart with Vanilla Scented Frangipane

So I did two adventurous things today: One – baked with figs, which I have never done before. And two – succumbed to my aversion for frangipane (fancy schmancy French name for a mixture of ground almonds, sugar, eggs and vanilla).

Now it has got to be something that looks absolutely spectacular for me to want to change my mind about frangipane. For whenever a recipe called for it, I’d cross it off my list instantly since I didn’t like almond paste (or so I thought). The photo in question that made me take the plunge was that of the fig tart I saw on Chez Pim. And out of nowhere, a fig tart made it to the top priority in my mental to-bake list.
Fig Tart with Vanilla Scented Frangipane

And as you can sense already, I was mighty pleased with the results!  I made this fig tart for breakfast today and between the two of us, dad was the one who raced me to the last quarter.

I tried a new pie dough recipe this time from the Ottolenghi cookbook. It’s very similar to my regular pie dough recipe that you can use or instead pick your favourite pie dough recipe. Make sure to go through Pie Dough 101 for quick tips for the perfect pie crust. I used the frangipane recipe on Chez Pim and added half a vanilla bean to it – smelled so, so good (thanks to my reader D. who sent  the beans to me all the way from Bangalore)! Once you have your dough rolled out, just spread out the frangipane on it and place the sliced figs in concentric circles. Then fold the edges in and crimp it up. A little bit of egg wash and a little bit  of icing sugar dusted, it’s ready for the oven. Now bask in the sweet smell that envelopes the house for 40 minutes. Once ready, serve with a dollop of mascarpone cheese or a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. Such an elegant dessert, but more than that it is a breakfast of the champions, indeed!

Fig Tart with Vanilla Scented Frangipane

Fig Tart with Vanilla Scented Frangipane
Yield: 1 9 inch fig tart
Adapted from: Chez Pim

Vanilla Scented Frangipane
(Just 1/4th going to be here)

½ cup / 75g whole almonds
1/3rd cup / 75g sugar
75g butter
1 large egg
½ a vanilla bean
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).  Spread the almonds evenly on a baking sheet and place them in the oven.  Roast them for about 10 minutes, or until slightly toasted and fragrant.  Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Put the cooled almonds and the sugar into a food processor and process until fine.  Add the butter and the egg and pulse until well-combined. Stir in the innards of the vanilla bean. If you don’t want to use it right away, divide the frangipane into four equal parts, wrap each tightly in plastic.  They will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, and upto a month in the freezer.  
9″ fig tart
1 9″ pastry dough
about 10 large figs or about 15 small ones
1/4 the recipe of frangipane above
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). 
  1. Roll out your pastry dough to about 10-inch diameter. Prick a fork through it every inch or so apart.
  2. Place the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Spread about 1/4 of the quantity of frangipane on the dough, leaving about 1 inch perimeter around the outer edge of the dough.  Slice the figs and place them from outside inwards to form concentric circles to cover the frangipane.
  4.  Fold the edges in, pinching a little to make sure they stick.  Brush the dough with eggwash and give it a good shower of sugar.  Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the pastry edges are golden brown.

{ 42 comments }

Creamy Oreo Pie…Again!

December 9, 2008

When more posts fill up the space, it’s only natural for the older one’s to sit in the archive until someone really digs deep. But when something is as good as the Creamy Oreo Pie, I just had to post about it again.

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I’d like to think of this creamy oreo pie as a no-bake cheesecake. A crumbly oreo crust and ooey-goooey-creamy-cheesy filling. And I’m not exaggerating. There is nothing that matches up to this, especially if you are an Oreo lover. Nothing. In fact, you will wonder how Oreos could possibly be THIS good when whipped up with cream and cheese. This is a fool proof recipe that I’ve tried several times and you just can’t mess it up! Once you’ve tried it, you’re going to keep coming back to it.
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And you thought you had to work hard for the perfect dessert?

Personally, this is not something I want to eat with all the chatter over a dinner table but something I want to experience in my own company. Just me and the creamy oreo pie – one tiny bite at a time; savouring the sweet, creamy filling against the crisp, crumbly crust – Nirvana. Sis, take a cue – after this is the best time for you to ask me for my Tommy Hilfiger tote or Charles and Keith pumps. You will always get an affirmative reply.

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Now that you’ve made yourself a positively rich and decadent dessert, you need to enjoy this without any distractions. Cut yourself a slice and pick your favourite spot. With each bite, feel the textures. Feel the taste. Feel the opulence.
I made the pie and hid it at the back of the fridge to keep my grandmum from offering  it to relatives who drop in. And that’s how I enjoyed it for the next couple of days, once slice at a time.

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