Honeyed Walnut Tart Food

SIMPLE FIG AND WALNUT TART

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the bottom position of the oven, put a baking stone or baking sheet on it and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with parchment.
• Dust a work surface with flour, and roll the puff pastry sheet out into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet. Measure a half-inch border around it, and lightly score the border with a knife (don't cut all the way through). Prick the pastry inside the border all over with a fork (don't prick the border). Brush the pastry all over with the egg, put the baking sheet with the pastry on it on top of the preheated baking stone, and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. If you find that the pastry has puffed up in some places, use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to press it down. Let the pastry cool completely on the baking sheet. (The cooled pastry can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for 1 day.)
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and deeply golden, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, and stir until it has been completely absorbed. Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the caramelized onions cool completely. (They can be refrigerated for 1 day.)
• Scatter the fontina all over the pastry within the border. Top with the caramelized onions, figs and walnuts. Sprinkle the whole tart with the feta, thyme and some salt and pepper. Drizzle all over with oil.
• Return the tart on the baking sheet to the oven, putting it on the preheated baking stone. Bake until the fontina melts, 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle generously with honey, and let cool for a few minutes. Cut into 16 squares, and serve.

WALNUT CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the flour in a food processor with the butter and sugar, and mix until it forms fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp cold water, and pulse to make a firm dough.
• Have ready a 24cm tart tin. Briefly knead the pastry on a lightly floured surface, then roll out to a round about 5cm larger than your tin. Lift onto the tin with the help of your rolling pin, then press into the corners using your finger. Do not trim the pastry. Fill the pastry case with a round of baking parchment and baking beans. Chill for 10 mins. Blindbake for 10 mins, remove the paper and beans, then bake for 5 mins more.
• To make the filling, put the sugar in a large pan with 3 tbsp cold water. Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is completely dissolved, increase heat and bubble until the syrup has turned a rich caramel colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it has dissolved, then stir in the cream. Return to the heat and boil hard, stirring until the sauce is thick enough to leave a gap on the base of the pan when you draw your spoon across it. Stir in the walnuts.
• Fill the pastry case with the nut mixture, levelling it with a fork. Return to the oven for 8-10 mins until the filling is bubbling. Cool for 10 mins before removing carefully from the tin. Serve warm or cold.

PINE NUT TART

Steps:

• For the tart crust: Add the flour, granulated sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until small pebbles form. With the machine running, add the egg yolk, vanilla and water and pulse until the dough just comes together. Remove to a piece of plastic wrap and press together into a dough ball. Flatten into a disk then refrigerate, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the honey and pine nut filling: Add the honey, brown sugar and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until melted. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and allow to cool for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 13-inch circle and place in an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Chill 30 more minutes.
• Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork. Place a piece of parchment in the center of the tart and fill all the way to the top with dried beans. Bake until the crust is set but still slightly pale, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove the parchment and beans.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, whisk the heavy cream, egg yolk, lemon zest and juice into the cooled filling. Place the cooled tart shell on a rimmed baking sheet and scatter the pine nuts inside the shell. Evenly pour the filling into the tart crust and bake until the top is golden brown, the filling is set and the very center still has a slight jiggle, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Cool completely before slicing, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON, HONEY AND WALNUT TART

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Mix first 6 ingredients with electric mixer until well blended. Add flour and mix until just combined. Gather dough into ball; flatten to disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Let dough soften slightly before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Roll dough out between sheets of waxed paper to 12-inch-diameter round. Remove top sheet of paper. Transfer dough to prepared pan, discarding second sheet of paper. Trim and finish edges. refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Line dough with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove beans and foil and continue baking until crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• For Filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 8 ingredients in bowl until smooth. Spread walnuts in crust. Pour lemon mixture over. Bake until filling is just set in center, about 35 minutes.
• Cool tart on rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Arrange strawberry halves, points towards center, around outer edge of tart and serve.

HONEYED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Saute walnuts in butter until golden brown. Add honey, heat thoroughly for 2 minutes. Move to a drying rack and allow to dry.

HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP

Steps:

• Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the walnuts and bring the water back to a full boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Strain the nuts into a colander and shake off excess water. Transfer the blanched pieces to a paper towel-lined plate in an even layer and let them sit until dry to touch, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the mayonnaise, condensed milk, pineapple juice, honey, vinegar and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Butterfly the shrimp by laying one flat on a cutting board and using a paring knife to slit them down the back from top to tail, cutting deeply but not all the way through. Press down to open the split shrimp up a bit. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining shrimp. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside.
• Rinse out the saucepan the walnuts blanched in and fill it halfway with water. Season the water generously with salt as you would pasta water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and blanch until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Strain into a colander and shake off excess water. Make a ring using the florets on a serving platter and tuck the stem pieces under the florets. Set aside.
• Fill a wok or Dutch oven with about 2 to 3 inches of canola oil. Place over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• While the oil is heating up, place 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
• Once the oil reaches 350 degrees F, reduce heat to medium and add the blanched walnuts. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes (don't let them become dark or they will be bitter). Remove with a slotted spoon and place on another paper towel-lined plate and turn the heat off. Sprinkle the walnuts lightly with salt.
• Place a wire rack over a sheet pan. Add the fried walnut pieces to the sugar syrup in the saucepan and stir to coat. Transfer the walnuts with a slotted spoon to the rack and let them dry slightly and set, about 5 minutes.
• Return the oil to medium-high heat and bring back to 350 degrees F. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss until each shrimp is fully coated. Shake off any excess cornstarch.
• Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp (work in two batches if necessary) and fry until they are orangish-pink and the cornstarch coating is almost translucent, about 3 minutes. (For smaller shrimp, see Cook's Note for cooking times.) When cooked through, the shrimp will float to the surface and the bubbling will begin to subside. Transfer the fried shrimp with a slotted spoon into the bowl with the mayonnaise mixture. Toss until fully coated.
• Place the shrimp in the center of the platter in the broccoli ring. Drizzle any additional sauce over the broccoli florets and shrimp. Scatter candied walnuts around the sides of the plate and on top of the shrimp and broccoli. Serve immediately.

SWISS HONEY-WALNUT TART

Steps:

• Stir 1/3 cup cream, honey and butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Set aside. Stir sugar, water and lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns golden, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add warm cream mixture (mixture will bubble up). Stir over very low heat until smooth. Add vanilla. Chill uncovered until cold, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
• Roll out 1 pastry sheet on floured surface to 11-inch square. Using 10-inch-diameter cake pan bottom as guide, trim to 10-inch round. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet. Roll out second pastry sheet to 11-inch square. Using 11-inch-diameter tart pan bottom as guide, trim to 11-inch round. Using fork, score design on 11-inch round; cut out small hole from center.
• Mix nuts into cold caramel. Brush beaten egg in 1-inch border on pastry on baking sheet. Spread filling over pastry, mounding in center and leaving 1-inch border. Cover with 11-inch round. Press to seal. Fold edge of bottom pastry over top pastry. Seal edge tightly. Mix 1 tablespoon cream and yolk into remaining beaten egg. Brush top of tart with egg mixture. Chill tart on baking sheet 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tart until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool. (Can be made 8 hours ahead.)

HONEY-WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a 9 1/8-by-1 3/8-inch tart ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick; cut into a 14-inch round. Fit into tart ring; trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Refrigerate while making filling.
• Whisk together 4 eggs, the honey, granulated sugar, butter, orange zest and juice, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts. Pour into tart shell.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into an 11-inch round. Cut 5 slits for vents. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold over bottom crust. Press edges to seal, and tuck into ring. Brush with remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake until a knife inserted in one of the vents comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. Remove ring before serving. Can be stored, covered, overnight.

HONEYED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine walnuts, honey, and salt in a bowl. Toss to coat, and spread in a single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool.