Monday, October 15, 2012

Tarte Fine Au Citron (Lemon Tart) Recipe

Tarte Fine Au Citron or lemon tart is a classic french dessert. Using my favourite pastry, Pate Sablee, the result is a smooth lemon filling inside a light but tasty tart case. As a variation, a meringue top can be added.


Tarte Fine Au Citron (Lemon Tart)

INGREDIENTS:
350g Pate Sablee (recipe can be found here)
5 eggs
180g caster sugar
150ml cream
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp milk, for glazing

METHOD:
Roll pastry out to 3-4 mm thick.
Line a lightly buttered, 22cm tart tin or 4 x tartlet tins with the pastry.
Refridgerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius.
Lightly whisk eggs and sugar in a chilled bowl - do not let the mixture turn pale.
Add lemon zest and juice. Stir briefly then cover with cling film and refridgerate.
Bake 'blind' the pastry for 15 minutes.
Remove baking blind material and leave for a couple of minutes then brush the base and sides with egg glaze.
Bake for 5 minutes; remove from oven then turn temperature down to 150 degrees celcius.
Lightly whish chilled lemon mixture.
Pour into tart case(s).
Bake immediately for 1 hour until lightly set.
Leave for 5 minutes before carefully removing the tart(s) from the tin.
Leave to cool on wire rack for at least 4 hours before serving.


TIPS:
- Serve the tart as is, sprinkled with icing sugar and/or accompanied by berries.
- After an hour of baking, a meringue top can be added then baked until lightly golden.
- The tart improves with time and can be made a day in advance but keep it in a cool place and not in the fridge to prevent the pastry from going soggy.

Enjoy!

Just desserts here 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Chocolate Fudge Cookies Recipe (LF)

Chocolate Fudge Cookies are soft, chewy and delicous! Perfect to satisfy most sweet tooths. With dried fruit bits and chocolate chunks every mouthful contains a pleasant surprise. Bonus is, this recipe can be made lactose-free by ensuring lactose-free chocolate and margarine are used. Make them and eat them fast because they definitely won't last!

Chocolate Fudge Cookie Stack!
INGREDIENTS:
125g margarine
1 tsp vanilla essence
275g brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/4 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp baking soda
30g cocoa powder
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate melts

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Beat margarine, sugar, vanilla and egg in a bowl until smooth
Sift flours, baking soda and cocoa into the mixture.
Stir mixture together then add fruit and chocolate.
Put round spoonfuls of mixture onto the trays about 4cm apart; gently pressing each one flat.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Stand cookies for 5 minutes to cool before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.


TIPS:
 - Try to leave ample space around each cookie when placed onto the tray because as they cook in the oven, they will spread out quite generously.
- It is quite a sticky mixture and can be difficult to drop portions onto the trays. I use two tablespoons, one to scoop and drop and the other to scrap it off.

Enjoy!

Just desserts here