Italian Tangerine Tart

Mandarin, Satsuma, Tangerine or Naartjie, call it what you like, this is a super-easy versatile fruit tart that is gooey and sticky and is just awesome!

As a South African I call this fruit I am using a naartjie which is a word used in South African English that originated from the Tamil word nartei meaning citrus.  It is also known as Citrus unshiu (a seedless and easy-peeling citrus) commonly referred to as a hardy mandarin, satsuma mandarin, satsuma orange, Christmas orange or a tangerine.

This is a fantastic easy dessert to make, especially if you are dealing with a crowd.  It can be made the night before and any fruit can be used... plumbs, nectarines and even apricots work really well. Just make sure you use a fleshy fruit - so no to apples - and one with no seeds in them.  It works well in individual ramekins as well - just adjust your cooking time.  

This recipes calls for a little alcohol which draws the wonderful juices out of the fruit.  I like to use a Tennessee Honey Whiskey as I love its smokey flavour.  Feel free to use a sweet sherry or a fruit liquor, both work just as well.  

Italian Tangerine Tart

Serves 6

400g tangerines, peeled & segmented
2 Tbsp custard powder
1 Tbsp Tennessee Honey Whiskey
1 3/4 cups sugar
125g butter (room temperature)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 170'c and butter a pie dish .

In a large bowl mix tangerines, custard powder, whiskey and 3/4 cups of the sugar and stir well. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes for the sugar and alcohol to draw.

In a separate bowl cream the butter and remaining sugar until fluffy.  In another bowl combine flour, cinnamon, salt & baking powder.  With the mixer on slow, slowly add the dry ingredients until small breadcrumbs have been formed. Add a tablespoon of cold water and beat for another 30 seconds to form larger, moist breadcrumbs.

Set aside 1 cup of the breadcrumbs.  Tip the remaining crumbs into the pie dish and lightly pat the dough evenly on the bottom and a little way up the side.  You are looking at about 1cm thick. Arrange the fruit in a circular pattern on top of the base and drizzle any fruit liquid that has drawn back over the fruit.  Sprinkle remaining crumbs evenly over the top.  Bake for 55 minutes until the fruit is cooked and bubbling.

Baked Milk Tart

So when I feel home sick, this is my GO-TO recipe.  It is a traditional South African Milk Tart that can be served hot or cold. It is in essence a milk and custard tart, with loads of cinnamon and is light and fluffy and just stunning!

Base:
2 cups flour
125g butter
2 tbsp castor sugar
1 tbsp oil
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

Preheat over to 200'c
Add all ingredients into a food processor and whizz until a ball is formed
Grease a tart dish  and evenly press the pastry along the bottom and up the sides of the dish
Bake for 15 minutes
Allow to cool

Topping:
1 Tbsp + 3 cups milk
2 Tbsp castor sugar
1 Tbsp heaped flour
1 Tbsp mazina
1 Tbsp custard powder
1 Tbsp butter, melted
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs, separated
3 cups milk

Mix 1 Tbsp milk with sugar, flour, mazina, custard, butter, salt and vanilla essence to make a paste
Beat egg yolks until fluffy
Beat egg whites until stiff
Heat 3 cups milk in a pot on the stove until almost boiling
Add paste and continually stir to avoid lumps on a medium heat
Stir in egg yolks and stir until custard thickens
Off the heat, add egg whites and stir until smooth
Pour mixture into cooled pastry base
Bake in over at 200'c for 25 minutes
Remove and allow to cool
Sprinkle with a little cinnamon on top

Enjoy
   ~ Michelle ~
  

Clementine Tart

Here is a great summer tart, that is not too sweet but definitely hits the spot when you need to end a casual Al Fresco lunch. You can really use any fruit, apples, pears and plums work just as well.  Suitable for 4 -6 foodie lovers.  Here we go ...

Clementine Tart
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300g clementines, skinned and separated
2 Tbsp custard powder
2 Tbsp sweet sherry/dessert wine
1 1/3 cups sugar divided
125g butter, room temp
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 180'c
Spray a pie dish with cooking spray
Place fruit, custard powder, sherry and 3/4 cup sugar in a bowl and mix
Sit fruit mix for 15 min
Place sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder in a processor and whizz until small breadcrumbs have formed
Add Tbsp cold waft and whizz for another 30 seconds to form large moist crumbs
Set aside 3/4 cup of crumbs and add rest to pie dish
Lightly pat dough in the dish
Arrange fruit mix in a circular pattern
Sprinkle we remaining crumbs
Bake for 1 hour until fruit is bubbling and golden
Remove from oven and zest the rind of a clementine and sprinkle on top

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato, Goat's Cheese & Thyme Tart

If you like the tart of a tomato, you will love this.  It is an ideal tart to enjoy on its own with a side green salad or to be a side dish itself.  It is so easy and looks really impressive if you are entertaining.  Suitable for 4 - 6 foodie lovers.  Here we go ...

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Roasted Tomato, Goat's Cheese & Thyme Tart

1 packet bought puff pastry, defrosted
Flour for dusting
1 egg, lightly beaten
15ml sundried tomato pest
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
50g goat's cheese
300g mixed small tomatoes, halved
15ml sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
25ml fresh lemon thyme, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 200'C
Dust clean surface with flour and roll out pastry
Cut a round the size of a dinner plate
Using a sharp knife, lightly score a 5cm border
Fold pastry over to crease a raised rim around the edge
Transfer tart case to a greased baking sheet
Brush the rim with egg and prick the base a few times with a fork
Spread tomato pesto over the base
Add garlic slices and crumble goat's cheese evenly
Toss tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, thyme and oil in a bowl
Arrange on top of the tart case
Bake for 20 - 25 min until golden brown
Garnish with fresh thyme

Enjoy!