White Chocolate & Almond Tarte with Sherry Soaked Currants
Preparation 30 Minutes
Cook 18-20 MINS Minutes
Serves 12
Method
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Pre-heat oven to 180ºC (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 34 x 12cm rectangular flan tin and place onto a flat baking tray.
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Combine currants, sherry and orange rind. Set aside.
-
For the crust, combine almond meal, sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter and mix until well combined. Press firmly into prepared tin and bake for 18-20 minutes until just golden. Set aside to cool.
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For the white chocolate cream, combine chocolate and ¼ cup of the cream in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Mixing until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Beat cream cheese, remaining cream and sugar until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth.
- Remove crust from tin and place onto a serving platter. Sprinkle currants over the almond crust and spread with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with almonds, pomegranate and mint. Serve immediately or chill for later use.
Ingredients
Currants
¼ cup SUNBEAM Currants
1 tbsp sweet sherry
½ tsp finely grated orange rind
Almond Crust:
2 cups SUNBEAM Almond Meal
2 tbsp caster sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
100g butter, melted
White Chocolate Cream:
100g white chocolate buttons
½ cup thickened cream
250g cream cheese, diced and softened
¼ cup caster sugar
Toasted almonds, pomegranate seeds and mint leaves, for decoration
Recipe Collection
Fig, pistachio & sultana tarte tatin
Preheat the oven to 180. Heat a 12” cast-iron skillet or oven safe pan over medium heat. Add the butter and let melt. Add the figs and saute for a minute or two until beginning to soften. Add the brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir until the sugar has melted. Simmer the mixture for another minute or so to thicken.
Unfold the puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Trim the edges to create roughly a 10″ circle. Lay the dough on top of the figs to complete cover them, tucking the sides in around the edges. Place the skillet into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
When the tarte tatin is almost finished baking, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pistachios. Toast the pistachios for a few seconds. Add the honey and a good pinch of salt. Stir to combine. After another 30 seconds or so, turn off the heat.
Transfer the skillet out of the oven. Place a large plate over the skillet and carefully invert the tarte tatin onto the plate. Spoon the honeyed pistachios over top. Sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. Cut into slices and serve warm, with a little extra honey drizzled over each slice.
Chocolate Caramel Tart
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. In a large bowl add Sunbeam Almond Meal, sugar the butter and egg and combine until a breadcrumb texture. Spoon into a greased 23cm (base measurement) fluted loose base tart tin. Press mixture to line the base and sides of the tin. Making sure you have made even base and sides, the palm of your hand for the base. Freeze for 15 minutes. Place the tart shell on a baking tray and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
Combine the Nestle Sweetened Condensed Milk, golden syrup and half the extra butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5-7 minutes or until golden in colour and caramel thickens. Remove from heat and immediately pour into the pastry case. Use a small palette knife to smooth the surface.
Place the chocolate, cream and remaining extra butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water and stir with a metal spoon for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is glossy. Pour over the caramel and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Set aside for 30 minutes to set.
Toast almond in moderate oven for 10mins then roughly blitz to make nut sprinkles to decorate, add gold leaf & fresh berries. Cut into wedges to serve.
Note: Packets of edible gold leaf are available from the baking aisle. Use tweezers to arrange pieces of
Mini Indulgent Puddings
Preheat oven to 150°C
- Combine fruit, jellied cranberry sauce, brandy and spices in a large bowl, cover and leave to stand overnight.
- Brush ten 1-cup pudding basins (ramekins) with melted butter and line base with baking paper.
- Mix eggs, butter, brown sugar and flours until well combined, then stir through fruit mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared basins.
- Cut a large circle of foil and baking paper and place over each pudding, foil side up. Secure tightly with kitchen string.
- Place pudding in a large saucepan and add enough boiling water to fill halfway up the sides. Cover and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 11⁄4 hours, replenishing water when needed.
- Remove from water and store well wrapped until Christmas.
Strawberry Almond Slice
Friand meets slice, equals utterly delicious
Bircher Muesli
- Combine oats, water, lemon juice and sultanas in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Stir in yoghurt, apple and honey.
- Top with almonds and hazelnuts.
Mini Fruit Pies
Preheat oven to 180oC
- Place all filling ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool.
- Place almond meal, flour, sugar into a food processor and process until combined. Add butter and egg mixture and process until a ball forms. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Use a round 6cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 24 circles from the pastry. Line the base of 24-hole non-stick mini muffin pan (or use two 12-hole pans). Fill cases with fruit mince.
- Re-roll pastry and use a 4cm-diameter fluted pastry cutter to cut 24 circles for the lids. Brush the underside of lid lightly with water before gently pressing onto pie. Cut a small cross in the middle of each lid.
- Bake at 180oC for 15 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
