Part 15 (1/2)
Put the rice, milk, salt, sugar, and cinnamon into a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring once or twice, then turn the heat to very low. Partially cover the pan and slowly simmer until the rice is tender, 4555 minutes. Remember to stir the pudding frequently or the rice will stick and burn on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the cream. Keep warm.
While the rice pudding is cooking, halve and pit the apricots, then roughly chop them. Melt the b.u.t.ter in a pan and add the apricots, sugar, star anise, and cinnamon. Toss over high heat just until the apricots are soft, 34 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool slightly.
To serve, spoon the warm rice pudding into individual serving bowls or gla.s.ses and top each with a generous spoonful of the apricot compote.
Custard tart A few strips of orange zest lend a subtle fragrance to this custard tart. As it is not overly sweet and is high in calcium-rich dairy, I think it's a good dessert to serve to children. Mine can devour this in minutes.
SERVES 8 8.
10 ounces, or about 2 2/3 recipe, sweet tart pastry (see Chapter 9) recipe, sweet tart pastry (see Chapter 9) 1 cups whole milk 1 cups heavy cream 3 pared strips of orange zest 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 5 tablespoons sugar 6 extra-large egg yolks nutmeg for grating
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 1 1/8-inch thickness. Use it to line a tart pan with a removable bottom that is 910 inches in diameter and 11 inches deep. Leave a little excess pastry hanging over the sides of the pan. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Line the tart sh.e.l.l with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until set and lightly golden, 1520 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and return to the oven to bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
While the pastry is cooling, prepare the custard. Put the milk, cream, and orange zest into a saucepan. Sc.r.a.pe the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the pan with the bean. Bring just to a simmer. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl. As soon as the creamy milk begins to bubble around the edge, slowly trickle it into the egg mixture, stirring. When fully incorporated, strain the mixture and discard the orange zest and vanilla bean.
Trim the edges of the pastry sh.e.l.l level with the rim. Place the pan in the oven, then pull the oven shelf halfway out (the pan should still be level). Pour the custard into the pastry sh.e.l.l until it almost reaches the top, then carefully slide the oven shelf back into the oven. Bake until the custard is set but still has a slight wobble in the center, 3040 minutes.
Remove from the oven and dust the surface with freshly grated nutmeg. Let cool completely before slicing with a sharp serrated knife for serving.
Lemon meringue tart I loved lemon meringue pie as a child, but now I'm a little less keen on the texture of the lemon-cornstarch filling. My version uses a rich French-style lemon tart as the base, topping it with a generous pile of pillowy white meringue. Irresistible.
SERVES 6 6.
10 ounces, or about 2 2/3 recipe, sweet tart pastry (see Chapter 9) recipe, sweet tart pastry (see Chapter 9) Lemon filling: juice of 2 lemons cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 6 extra-large egg yolks 1 cup heavy cream Meringue: cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar 4 extra-large egg whites
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 1 1/8-inch thickness. Use it to line an 8-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Leave a little excess pastry hanging over the sides of the pan. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line the tart sh.e.l.l with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until set and lightly golden, 1520 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and return to the oven to bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 275F.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the filling, taking care not to aerate the mixture too much.
Trim the edges of the pastry sh.e.l.l level with the rim of the pan. Place the pan in the oven, then pull the oven shelf halfway out (the pan should still be level). Pour the filling into the pastry sh.e.l.l, then carefully slide the oven shelf back into the oven. Bake until the filling looks slightly set, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the tart inside to cool slowly. It will continue to set as it cools. Take the tart out of the oven only when it has completely cooled, after a few hours or overnight.
For best results, make the meringue 1015 minutes before you are ready to serve. Preheat the broiler. Toss the sugar in a pan over low heat-you do not want to melt the sugar, just heat it until it is warm to the touch. (The warmth of the sugar helps to stabilize the beaten egg whites.) Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks in a greasefree bowl. Gradually beat in the warm sugar, then continue beating until the meringue has tripled in volume and is firm and glossy.
Spread the meringue over the filling and broil, 45 inches from the heat source, until browned around the edges, 23 minutes. Alternatively, run a blowtorch over the meringue until it is nicely caramelized. Let cool briefly, then serve.Bakewell tart This favorite English tart, named for the town of Bakewell in Derbys.h.i.+re, has a long history, with similar tarts dating back to medieval times. The best Bakewell tarts are made with homemade strawberry jam. If you use store-bought jam, taste it first and reduce the amount if it is very sweet.
SERVES 1012 1012 1 pound, or 1 recipe, sweet tart pastry (see Chapter 9) 11/3 cups unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened to room temperature cups unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened to room temperature 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar 3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups ground almonds 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 34 tablespoons strawberry jam 2 tablespoons apricot jam, mixed with 12 teaspoons boiling water