Redcurrant Tart Food

RED CURRANT AND LEMON TARTLETS

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 10 rounds with a 4-inch cutter. Fit into 3 1/2-inch round tart pans. Using scissors or a sharp paring knife, trim pastry even with edge of tart pans. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick pastry all over with the tines of a fork. Line pastry with parchment rounds; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until pastry begins to color around the edges 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights, and continue to bake just until the pastry dries out and turns golden, 10 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
• Fill half of each tart shell with lemon curd, and the other side with currant curd. Smooth the top flush with edge of tart shell.
• Pipe meringue onto tarts using a 3/8-inch star tip to completely cover. Preheat broiler. Place tarts under broiler and broil until golden brown, alternatively, you can use a hand-held propane torch.
• Place each tart on a serving plate. Serve with raspberry sauce, and garnish with a few pomegranate seeds.

RED CURRANT PIE (OR IS IT CAKE?)

Steps:

• For Crust: In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
• Mix in butter, sugar, egg yolks and lemon zest until mixture forms dough.
• Pat the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9" springform pan.
• Chill dough in pan for 25-30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake in oven for 25 minutes, or until golden.
• For Filling: In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
• Gradually stir in sugar and cornstarch; beat for 5 minutes.
• Fold currants into mixture and pour into warm crust.
• Bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.
• Cool completely before serving.

CURRANT TARTS

Steps:

• To Make the Filling:.
• Wash the currants and drain them.
• Stir the sugar and butter together well. Mix in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the currants.
• To Make the Pastry:.
• Mix the flour and salt together.
• Cut the lard into the flour and salt until the consistency is like crumbs. Gradually add enough of the water to make the dough hold together, and form it into a ball.
• Roll out the dough and cut out with a round cookie cutter and fit into muffin tins (regular size, not mini).
• To Assemble & Bake:.
• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
• Put a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the filling into each unbaked tart shell.
• Bake @ 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden and crust is done. (Don't overbake - the filling should not be too brown or crispy.).

REDCURRANT & ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Pulse together flour, sugar and butter in a food processor.
• Whisk together egg yolks and water, pour inn i food processor, pulse all together.
• Butter the tart pan and press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of tart pan and prick the dough.
• Chill crust until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Strip redcurrants from stalks, wash and drain.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff then beat in the sugar and cornstarch.
• Stir in 7 tbsp ground almonds and fold redcurrants into the filling.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• Bake the crust in middle of oven until center and edges are golden, for about 15 minutes.
• Scatter the crust with almonds and pour inn redcurrant filling.
• Heat oven to 150C and bake the tart in middle of oven for about 50 minutes.
• Allow to cool then dredge with icing sugar before serving.