Honeyed Fruit Tartlets Food

HONEYED FRUIT TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unfold dough on to a lightly floured surface (if needed, roll out to about 13 inches square). Trim edges, and cut dough into twelve 3-by-4-inch rectangles. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Score a 1/2-inch border inside each rectangle (do not cut all the way through). Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Whisk egg and cream in a small dish. Brush onto dough borders, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake, rotating once, until puffed, golden, and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Remove puffed insides from within cut border, leaving a thin bottom crust; discard insides. Shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.
• Stir together fruit, honey, lime zest and juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Just before serving, divide fruit mixture among pastry shells. Drizzle with juice from bowl.

HONEYED FIG, PANCETTA AND BLUE CHEESE TARTLETS

Steps:

• 1.Heat the oven to 375°F. Stir the pancetta, Honeyed Figs, rosemary, cheese and honey in a medium bowl. To make the Honeyed Figs: Place 6 whole dried figs, stems removed, into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup hot water and 2 tablespoons honey. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain the figs well in a colander. Coarsely chop the figs. 2.Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 3 (2 1/2-inch wide) strips. Discard the remaining pastry. Cut each pastry strip into 4 (2 1/2-inch) squares, making 12 in all. Press the pastry squares into 12 (1 3/4-inch) mini muffin-pan cups. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons pancetta mixture into each pastry square. 3.Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh rosemary, if desired. 4.Time-Saving: Fresh figs are in season in the fall and the spring. You can substitute 6 chopped fresh figs, stems removed, for the Honeyed Figs. Stir in with the pancetta, cheese and honey as directed in the first step.

FRESH FRUIT TARTLETS

Steps:

• Line tartlet tins with the pastry (use boat-shaped tins if you have them). Bake blind in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. When cold, brush the inside of the tartlet cases with the melted chocolate and leave to harden.
• Mix together the cream cheese and double cream until very smooth, then add the sugar and vanilla essence. Fill the tartlet cases with the cream mixture and arrange the fruit on top. Brush with the apricot or red currant glaze, depending on the fruit used, and leave to set.
• Sift the flour and salt together and rub in the butter and lard until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the cheese, if using, and bind with a little cold water. Chill for 30 minutes and then roll out and use as above.

SUMMER FRUIT BOWL TARTLETS

Steps:

• To make the crème pâtissière, pour the milk into a pan. Split vanilla pod down its length using a small sharp knife (do not cut in half completely). Twist tip of the knife inside the pod to open out like a book at one end, then run the knife down its length to scrape out seeds. (See step 1)
• Put the seeds and empty pod in a medium-sized pan with the milk and bring slowly to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a couple of mins. (Step 2)
• Put egg yolks, sugar and flour into a bowl. Whisk with a hand electric mixer until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy - it should leave a trail that stays on the surface momentarily when the whisk blades are lifted. This whisking will take about 2 mins. (Step 3)
• Pour about a third of the hot milk into the bowl, whisking on a slow speed all the time until it has all been mixed in. Now whisk in the remaining milk, removing pod. (Step 4)
• Return the mixture to the pan, scraping it out of the bowl using a rubber spatula. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time, until the custard is thickened, smooth and glossy. At first, it will look a bit lumpy, but persevere - keep stirring and it will become smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 mins, stirring. (Step 5)
• Remove the crème pâtissière from the heat. Beat in the butter until it has melted, then scrape into a bowl. Cover the surface of the crème pâtissière directly with cling film (this will stop a skin forming). Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge until needed. (Step 6)
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Divide the pastry into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each one to line a 7-8cm deep fluted tartlet tin, trim leaving a little pastry sticking up above the tin. Line each one with a paper cake case and add a layer of baking beans. Put on a baking tray and bake for 10 mins, then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden.
• Trim any pastry edges that need it with a small sharp knife. Remove from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Halve or quarter any large strawberries and remove the stalks from any redcurrants, then mix the fruits together. Fill the pastry cases with crème pâtissière and pile a generous layer of fruits on top. Dust thickly with icing sugar and scatter over some chopped pistachios, if you like.

SHORTBREAD FRUIT TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
• Add flour and mix well.
• Shape into 1 inch balls and press into the bottom and up the sides of greased mini muffin cups.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until very lightly browned.
• Cool for 15 to 20 minutes and then carefully remove from pans.
• Spoon pie filling or preserves into each tart (I use a baby spoon to do this--it's much easier than a regular teaspoon).