insideKENT Magazine Issue 103 - November 2020 | Page 81

FOOD + DRINK
FROM SWEET TREATS TO SNACKS TO SAVOUR , THESE DELICIOUS RECIPES ARE PERFECT FOR A LITTLE FESTIVE INDULGENCE

MAKE AHEAD CHRISTMAS TREATS

Winter Spiced Pear Tarts with Pine Nuts & Chocolate Recipe by Macknade , macknade . com
# KentishRecipe
A seasonal twist on the humble pear tart and a great alternative to mince pies this Christmas ...
If you ’ re not mad about rich , dried fruit , Christmas desserts can often be quite a challenge – pudding , stollen , mince pies – they ’ re not for everyone . We ’ ve taken the comice pear , in season throughout October to February , and given it a festive dressing inside a crumbly , shortcrust pastry . This little tart is much like a mince pie , only fresher , and we like to serve it with some brandy cream . You might like to do the same ?
Ingredients :
For the pastry :
• 170g plain flour
• 100g cold butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 large free range egg yolk
For the filling :
• 2 comice pears , sliced
• Zest of one clementine
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 vanilla pod , scraped and split
• 75g toasted pine nuts
• 3 sprigs of thyme , stripped and chopped
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 100g dark chocolate , melted
Method :
1 . Begin with the pastry by rubbing flour and cold butter into crumbs . Then stir the sugar through .
2 . Add egg yolk and cut mixture with metal knife until incorporated .
3 . Add a little cold water at a time to just bring dough together . Wrap and store the pastry in a fridge overnight .
4 . For the filling , slice pears and add zest , cinnamon , cloves , thyme , and vanilla seeds plus pod , and leave to infuse overnight .
5 . When ready the next day , preheat oven to 180c / 356f / gas mark 4 and grease a muffin tin .
6 . Roll pastry onto a floured surface , reserving a small chunk to make pastry stars later .
7 . Cut 9 discs of pastry and line muffin tin .
8 . Cut 9 pastry stars from remaining pastry .
9 . Blind bake for 8 minutes - you can use baking beans ( or protect your pastry with
greaseproof paper and use clean , spare coins ).
10 . Meanwhile , remove and discard cloves and vanilla pod from pear mixture and stir in toasted pine nuts .
11 . Fill tarts and add pastry star to each , brushing with a little cold milk to help browning in the oven .
12 . Bake for 10 - 14 minutes ( checking to see how they brown ).
13 . Remove from the oven and sit for a few minutes before turning out on a rack to cool .
14 . Drizzle with melted chocolate .
15 . Serve plain , or with brandy cream - and don ’ t forget to dip any other fruit to hand in the spare melted chocolate !
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