Sugar Crusted Almond Pastries Food

PLUM TART WITH ALMOND PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• For the filling: Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and bring to a boil. While water is boiling, take a paring knife and cut a 1/2-inch X on the bottom of each plum. Set aside. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside. When water is boiling, gently drop plums into water for 30 to 45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge in ice water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and dry plums gently with a paper towel. Over a medium-sized bowl, remove skins from plums - they should slip off fairly easily. Slice plums in half and remove pits. Toss with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and set aside.
• For the crust: Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor until they are a fine crumb. Add the pastry flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar to the almond in the processor and pulse 5 times to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse for about 20 seconds, until mixture forms small clumps. Add the egg white and pulse an additional 20 to 30 times, until mixture forms a ball, being sure not to over-process. Dough will hold together, but be slightly sticky. Evenly press dough into the bottom and sides a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable bottom. Bake for 8 to10 minutes, or until surface of tart is no longer shiny. Remove from oven and let cool. Place tart shell on a cookie sheet. Toss plum halves in their own juices in bowl. Arrange plums, cut-side down, in the tart shell, crowding as many plums as you can into tart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fruit is slightly tender but still firm. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• For the glaze: Heat preserves over a low flame or in microwave until melted. Combine with water and brush surface of tart.

RASPBERRY TART WITH ALMOND PASTRY

Steps:

• Make the pastry by tipping all the ingredients, except the yolk, into a food processor and pulsing to the texture of breadcrumbs. Add the yolk, then pulse until it all comes together to form a soft pastry. The pastry will be too soft to roll out, so press it evenly into a loose-based 25cm tart tin until the pastry comes up above the edges of the tin. Rest in the freezer for at least 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Line the tart case with baking parchment and baking beans, then place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 mins until the edges are starting to brown. Remove the beans and paper, then continue to cook for 10 mins until biscuity. Leave to cool, trim the edges with a knife, then carefully remove from the tart tin.
• To make the filling, whisk the crème fraîche with the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and zest until thick. Spread over the bottom of the tart case, then meticulously place the raspberries on top in concentric circles. Meanwhile, heat up jam in the microwave or in a pan with 2tbsp water until bubbling. Push the glaze through a sieve into a bowl, then paint it over the raspberries with a pasty brush. Bring the whole tart to the table and serve in slices.

ALMOND SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Finely grind almonds in a food processor. Add flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolk and 1 tablespoon ice water; pulse until dough just comes together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if needed.
• Shape pastry into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days) before rolling.

SUGAR SPICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine almonds and olive oil in a bowl; toss to coat. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until toasted, about 15 minutes. Allow almonds to cool slightly.
• While almonds are baking, mix sugar, cinnamon, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over almonds and toss again. Spread almonds in a single layer and continue to bake until spices are fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool before serving.