June Daring Bakers - Bakewell Tart

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.


If I was superstitious I would say I am not meant to be a Daring Baker. Last month's recipe wasn't a great success for me so I embraced this month's recipe (I love almonds) and put quite a lot of time into considering how I would put my own little twist on these.

In fact, one evening I went for a long walk on my own. Later in bed that night OH asked me, "Why did you go for a walk this evening?" "I needed some time to think," was my reply. He rolled over concerned and asked me, "What about?" "What I'm going to put into my Daring Bakers Challenge this month!" He groaned, rolled back and went to sleep.

I finally decided that I would make little tartlets. I couldn't choose between Raspberry Rose Jam (which I would make using rosewater) and a rich chocolate ganache, using a 100% cacao stick I had been saving, so I decided I would make both. But despite my best efforts, my local supermarkets and delis just would not cough up rosewater. So I ordered some rose syrup online. However, after waiting two weeks for it to arrive I gave up and went ahead and made plain raspberry jam (it did, of course, arrive that very afternoon)!

Then to top it all off, the morning I was in the middle of making my tartlets, my mum phoned to say my granny had died. I was in the middle of making them so I finished them off but all intentions of variations went out the window. And sadly to say, Bakewell Tarts will now always bear the association with my Granny's death.

Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin

One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour 250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz))
Jam or curd, warmed for spreadability (I made my own Raspberry Jam)
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)
Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film

225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional - I used it but would leave it out next time as the taste was too strong for me along with the extract in the frangipane)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Frangipane

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp)
almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

Assembling the tart

Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter.

Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

May Daring Bakers - Squash & Shitake Strudel

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

I approached this challenge rather unenhusiastically. You see, I had been inspired to join the Daring Bakers Challenge when I read about Granny's Rose Syrup Cheesecake - Ummmm! So I eagerly signed up and waited for the challenge to be posted. And finally on the 27th April it was there - Strudel!! I was so disappointed. To me strudel is cinnamon and apples and just doesn't excite me. Truth be told, if it doesn't have chocolate (apart from cheesecake) then most desserts don't excite me. Anyhow I wasn't going to try and get out of it, it was after all my first challenge, so I decided to go down the savoury route. After a bit of web browsing I came up with my filling. The whole procedure looked fiddly so I booked hubby to look after baby for the afternoon while I got it done. However, I had most of it sorted before my little one even got up from his nap - it really was simple. I cut the dough quantity in half and therefore it didn't have enough weight to let it hang over my hands and be stretched but I managed to roll and stretch it nonetheless. My filling wasn't as nice as I had expected simply because the only squash I managed to get my hands on was rather flavourless but that will teach me to use winter veg at the start of summer. Looking back I wish I had concocted some delicious chocolate filling but this month has been hectic with the planning of two birthday parties and a wedding so the strudel was pushed well down my priority list. But it has taught me a lesson - I will embrace the next challenge much more enthusiastically and give it much more consideration.

Strudel dough

from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Strudel Filling

Ingredients
300g butternut squash, cut into 2cm cubes
3 tbsp vegetable oil
150g shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
350g ricotta
3 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
Small handful each fresh sage and chives

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Put the butternut squash in a roasting tin and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil and a grinding of pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until golden and very tender.

2. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the shiitake mushrooms and crushed garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until tender and golden. Cool.

3. Put the ricotta into a large mixing bowl. Fold in the roasted squash, mushrooms, tomatoes, sage and chives, then chill.

Assembly

1. Spoon the mixture about 3 inches from the short end of the dough in a 6-inch wide strip.

2. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

3. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at 5 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. It is best on the day it is baked.