Berry Custard Tart

I'm currently on a long holiday, waiting to begin my next adventure in the new year. And so for the first time in a very long time, I feel absolutely no sense of urgency; I can sit on the front porch and watch the rain drip off the leaves of our Weeping Willow tree if I want to; I don't absolutely need to make every single second count.

It's liberating, honestly quite exhilarating, but I'm also a bit scared. What if I get used to this? What if I get bored? What if I forget what it's like to rush and push for deadlines? So I have devised a way to keep my stress levels slightly up: I must try to post a new recipe or blog post up at least twice each week that I'm off.

I say that now, but wait 'til I start being able to sleep in again. You lot must think I'm crazy, to be afraid of enjoying my holiday. Oh well, I'm sure the initial shock of it will wear off by the end of week 2. Last week though, I made 3 tarts (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry). Just cos. I experimented with custards, to get slightly runny custard or thicker custards to set, as well as infusing the cream with different flavours (tea, lemongrass, orange). At some point during this holiday, I also want to experiment with different types of yeast (active dry, instant, etc). 

Today I'm sharing my favourite tart from last week, and obviously it was the one with my favourite berry: raspberries! Recipe under the jump.

Mixed Berries on an Orange Custard tart

Rustic Apple Galette

The monsoon season is well and truly underway here in my cosy corner of the world, and on a particularly wet Sunday afternoon last week, I popped in the LOTR: The Two Towers DVD and got to work with my hands. There's something immensely comforting about the smell of baking on a lazy day in while watching your favourite epic fantasy film; especially the smells of butter, cinnamon and the wonderful vanilla bean pods the boyfriend brought back from a recent work trip to the African continent. 

A galette is basically the lazy person's go-to pie or tart, and is so easy to remember that it's the perfect recipe to have in your repertoire for those occasions when you want to bake but have no access to your cookbook or the internet (you know... like a short weekend visit to your grandmother's place). You can use any fruit you have on hand, the riper the better, and I just happened to have a bushel of green apples that are starting to get a little bruised looking. 

Rustic Apple Galette

• Basic pie crust recipe (I used roughly a tennis ball sized amount of leftovers from a standard batch)
• 3 green apples, cored, peeled and sliced
• Juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1-2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• Seeds from 1 vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste) 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Roll out your pie crust dough to the size of your baking sheet (so long as it fits the width) and place on the baking sheet, then set aside
3. Core, peel and slice the apples then toss in a large bowl with the lemon juice to keep them from browning. Mix in the honey, cinnamon and vanilla seeds to coat the apples
4. Arrange the apples around the centre of the prepared crust, leaving around 2 inches of crust around the edges. Fold over and pinch the dough to seal the mixture in, then brush the crust with milk and sprinkle on some sugar 
5. Bake the galette for 40 minutes, then serve as soon as it has cooled enough to eat

Orangey Passionfruit tarts

Do what you love and love what you do. That hackneyed mantra of my fellow Gen Ys rings in my head as I bake up my little treats, force feed my family and friends, and type up these blog posts. Sometimes I wonder just how selfish I can be when I do this, as most of the time the desserts are foisted upon my unsuspecting friends whether or not they want it. And all for what? Just for my personal pleasure of seeing them enjoying something I laboured over with love. I'm a brute. A narcissistic, selfish member of the Gen Y.

Sometimes I feel that our loving and doting parents might have done us wrong in constantly telling us to reach for the stars, that nothing is beyond our abilities (latent they may be), and that they will suffer through the rat race so that we may want for nothing and so that we may have the dreams they never dared to have. I won't generalise, but personally, all of that just made me impatient, discontent, and selfish. Some may call it ambitious and driven, but we are just two sides of the same coin.

I honestly don't know why I started talking about this. Must be the word "Passion" in the recipe I'm about to share with you now. So many people talk about doing what we're passionate about, to chase the thing that we would love to do, and not waste our time sitting in a 4x4 cubicle with no direct sunlight on our skin. Yet, to do that, we'd HAVE to be financially dependent on another. Do our parents then have to suffer more to ensure we get to do what we love? Do we continue to leech on their goodwill? I'm being weird, my apologies. I usually save these mad rantings to my personal journal, but there seems to be a spillover tonight. I'll spare you all the lecture and just hand you the recipe.

Passionfruit Tart
(Makes 12 mini tarts, or 1 8" tart)
For the crust:

• 185g all purpose flour
• 55g icing sugar
• 30g ground almonds
• 125g butter, cold and cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Combine the flour, icing sugar, and almonds in the food processor and whizz to mix. Pop in the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add in the egg and vanilla and pulse a few more times until it comes together. Tip the batter onto a well floured surface and knead a few times until it comes together. I like to just then roll the crust out and put it into my prepared mold (either 8" tart tray, or a mini tart pan) then freeze for 30 minutes. Freezing the crust means I can skip the pie weights when baking the crust as it holds the shape longer. Anyway, preheat the oven to 180°C and then bake the crust for 20 minutes then remove to cool.

For the filling:

• 160ml passionfruit pulp (I used 3 regular sized passionfruits)
• 300ml cream
• 110g caster sugar
• 4 eggs

I like to prepare the passionfruit filling in advance as I find it allows the flavours to steep and it sets a lot better when you bake. Strain the passionfruit pulp and discard the seeds, then whisk the juice together with the cream, sugar and eggs in a medium sized bowl. When ready to bake, pour the filling into the baked tart crust and bake for 35 - 40 minutes (for a big tart) or 25 - 30 minutes for mini tarts. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight or up to 2 hours so it sets beautifully. Remove from the pans when ready to serve. 

For the topping:

• 150ml double cream
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• Orange zest

Whisk the double cream until soft peaks form, add the orange juice and continue to whisk until stiff peaks have formed. Then transfer the cream into a piping bag with a tip of your choice and pipe the cream out over the top of the tarts. Finish by grating the oranges (make sure you wash those babies) over the cream. You can also just dollop the cream on top of the tarts if you don't feel like piping; what matters here is flavour, not aesthetics. 

Fig Frangipane Tart

I hate to admit it, but I'm a hoarder. Except my compulsion is in ensuring I have a sufficient supply of baking ingredients in my pantry (thanks, mum, for allocating an entire section of the pantry for me); I can't walk past a grocery store without buying a block of butter, a bag of flour, and at least one special ingredient (usually a type of fruit to incorporate into the dessert). So what I'm left with at the end of the day is a pantry filled with flour, sugar, and for some reason... ground almonds.

In keeping with the New Years theme, as all my friends and acquaintances reflect on the Gregorian calendar year that just whizzed past us (seriously, is it just me or did 2013 sneak by us?), I made it my personal mission to use up the stuff I have in my pantry. Adopting the First In First Out method (I've been spending a lot of time with a particular chartered accountant... but that's a story for another day *grin*) I've stacked my ingredients properly and in plain sight where I can't avoid them.

There's a recipe I've been dying to try that uses up quite a lot of ground almonds, so this was the way to go. It's also perfect that it's Fig season (though they still cost a helluva lot of moolah here in Malaysia) as I love fig tarts! I tried a Fig Mascarpone tart in London when I was up there in October and kind of fell in love, but I'll save the mascarpone tarts for later. This week is about clearing the almonds before they become unusable! This tart was a hit in my household, as soon as I declared it OK for consumption, my family (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins) dove in and it was all gone within the half hour. So if you're short on time and you want a dessert to impress, this may be the one to go with.

Fresh Fig Frangipane Tart
Time: 1 1/2 hours (prep & baking)
9inch springform tin

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 114g / 1/2 cup butter, cold and cubed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp cream or lukewarm water

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in your food processor and whizz to mix
2. Add the cubed cold butter in one shot and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
3. Add the egg and cream and pulse again, but don't leave it for too long or you'll get a tough crust
4. Transfer the dough into a prepared springform tin and press up the sides and bottom. Freeze the crust for up to 30 minutes
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C and pop the tin into the oven for 30 minutes. There's no need to weigh the crust down as it was frozen, but you can do so if you want to

For the frangipane filling:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 230g ground almonds
• 141g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cream (other recipes call for dark rum, but I chose to use cream)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest

1. In a small saucepan, heat the butter until it boils and turns brown and a gorgeous aroma rises
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground almonds, sugar, eggs, almond and vanilla extracts, cream, salt and lemon zest
3. Pour the browned butter into the mixture and stir to combine
4. Pour the frangipane into the baked crust
5. Slice figs into quarters or lengthwise and arrange over the frangipane filling. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes, remove from the oven when the frangipane has turned golden and allow to cool before serving. Best to serve this tart fresh and warm with a dollop of freshly whipped cream

Whether or not you're celebrating the New Year, bake a tart and eat it too! 

Much love,

Nabsy

Chocolate Raspberry & Pistachio Tart

The last week of December is upon us and you know what that means! Yes, yes, I know, it means quite a lot for many people (Christmas; Hannukah; Kwanzaa; New Years; birthdays - I'm talking about you, Melissa Hanna; mid year exams coming up, yikes; unfortunately you forgot to apply for leave in time and are now stuck manning the empty office; travel plans; disrupted transportation services...) but for me, specifically, it means time to clear my annual leave!

And this year, I opted out of going away for a holiday with my friends and/or family. This year, my holiday plans revolve around my amazing kitchen, and that ever-growing list of recipes I've been dying to try out for the past few months. Forget New Years' resolutions (who are we kidding, those never get done); 2014 I'm going to draw up a "To Bake" list and just keep working at it.

Speaking of lists, I came across this fantastic journalling technique while browsing my nerd sites the other night! It's a nifty method of tracking what you do and what needs to get done. I see the benefits in this method, and I'll likely use it for my work journalling but for my personal journalling, I prefer the story telling method with poorly drawn illustrations. Do you guys keep a journal? Are you like me in that I'm completely obsessed with beautiful blank page (important to note the blank pages) notebooks? I personally find there's nothing quite like writing your thoughts down on a Moleskin with a leaky fountain pen at the end of the day to truly be able to reflect on the day's events and set it aside to start fresh the next day.

What was I talking about again? Oh yes, baking *sheepish*

So, on my first day off, I decided to work with my favourite flavours. Yes, that's right, loyal readers and close friends of Ellebug: chocolate & raspberry. This was the flavour combo of the year 2013 for me, recurring in quite a few of my desserts and orders throughout the past 12 months. Let's get on with the sweet treats:

Chocolate Raspberry & Pistachio Tart

For the crust:

• 350g Oreos, crushed or whizzed in a food processor
• 100g butter, melted

Crush the oreos and stir through melted butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a prepared tart pan (I went with 2 8-inch tart tins, but you can go with 1 8-inch springform tin for a thicker tart) and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes at 170C

For the filling:

• 200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped OR bittersweet chocolate chips/chunks
• 200ml heavy cream
• 20g butter
• 3 large eggs
• Optional: Raspberry preserve & crushed pistachio kernels

1. This was unplanned, but I decided to slather on some great store-bought raspberry preserve I have on hand and sprinkle crushed pistachio on the bottom of the tart crusts after they'd cooled slightly 
2. Onto the chocolate filling: Chop the chocolate and place it in a medium sized bowl and set aside for a while. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan until it comes to a boil, stirring occassionally to get the butter in there. Once it's boiled, pour over the chocolate and let it sit for about a minute before stirring with a spoon until it turns into a smooth chocolate mix. Then beat the eggs in one at a time and hand-whisk lightly before pouring into the prepared crust. 
3. Bake for 35 minutes at 170C and remove when it looks to have set and jiggles slightly when you shake the oven. Leave to cool completely

For the topping:

• 100g good quality dark chocolate, chopped (or same as above)
• 50ml heavy cream
• 15g butter
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Crushed pistachio kernels

1. Do the same with the chocolate, cream, and butter as when making the filling above. However, add the light corn syrup to the cream and butter in the saucepan (this gives the ganache a shiny glaze). Allow the chocolate ganache to cool and thicken before spreading on top of the cooled tarts. Decorate with crushed pistachio kernels and fresh raspberries. 
2. Set the tart in the fridge for up to 1 hour, then serve with a cup of gorgeous brewed coffee. 

Whatever everyone is doing this month, I wish you all the best, and hope you give yourself a chance to enjoy the little things in life. Much love, Nabs

Pear and Almond Tart

I went on a ski trip to Switzerland in February, as an extra adult helping hand for my brother's school trip (lol any excuse for a holiday, really) as well as to learn how to ski. First time, and boy oh boy, it was terrifying as heck on the first two days! It simply goes against every natural instinct in my body to set myself off a perfectly stable perch onto the slippery piste with low visibility! Who does that? Seriously!

However, as uncomfortable as the damned ski boots were, and the biting cold on our cheeks, and the low visibility, and the crashing into powder snow (or fat snow as my brother likes to call it) was, by the end of the 6-day ski trip, I was skiing and managing my turns, and hurtling down the flat planes (except for one or two bits where I need a sixth-former's help to pull me along on his snowboard). It was so amazing, and I'm raring to go on another ski trip to learn more and pick up a bit more confidence in the process. 

It's really something to see little toddlers in their one-piece snow suits whizzing past you on the piste while your knees shake to maintain a snowplough turn cos you're terrified of the powder snow. Those little Swiss kids got me every time, with their mittens and goggles and helmets and lisping German! Goddammit, gotta stop these maternal feelings, I'm too young to feel this way. 

Anyway, let's get back to the food bit: there was one afternoon where I just could not ski anymore. It was the second day, and I'd chosen ill-fitting boots (too tight) paired with too short socks (ouch! Still have the scar from a pressure point). So after a morning of wincing and hobbling and trying not to be the big adult baby crying in a group of year 7 kids, I opted out and sat in a cafe up in the Brienz Axalps Ski Resort. Coffee, a piece of pear cake (I couldn't understand the menu so asked the proprietor what his favourite dessert was) topped with freshly whipped cream, and then followed by a glass of mulled spiced wine. 

That piece of pear cake was one of the most beautiful things I have ever tasted! I have wanted to recreate it since I had my first bite, but due to time constraints, I had to put it off until last weekend when I allocated a completely Nothing weekend just so I could bake and rest. Also, let's be honest: I got distracted by other recipes.

So this is my first attempt at a pear cake like that one I had in Switzerland. It's close, but no cigar, so you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be trying again and again til I get it just right. 

First, we prepare the shortbread crust! This, my friends, is the reason I bought this food processor, so that I may make shortcrust pastry without warming the dough with my hands.

Pastry:

• 200g flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 100g cold butter, cut into cubes
• Salt
• 3 tbsp ice cold water

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a tart pan
2. Pop the flour, sugar, butter, and salt into the food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the 3 tbsp water and pulse again until it begins to look like bits are coming together
3. Transfer to a baking sheet, form into a ball, flatten into a disc with a rolling pin (in between two pieces of baking paper) then leave it there for 30-60 minutes
4. When ready to mold, roll the pastry flatter and turn it into the prepared pastry tin. Prick and bake for 15 minutes

Almond Cream

• 100g butter, softened
• 100g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g ground almonds
• 2 tbsp flour

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
2. Beat the butter and sugar until combined, then beat the eggs and vanilla in one at a time
3. Fold the almonds and flour into the butter mixture, then spread the cream into the prepared pastry crust
4. Peel and core about 3-4 ripe brown pears, then slice and arrange on top of the cream
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes

Serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you have any on hand, or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Yum!

It's a good recipe, close to what I had in Switzerland, unfortunately it's not quite it. The cake I had in Switzerland had a thinner, more flaky base, and was slightly more tart. I'll try this one again soon!