Rhubarb and frangipane tart in a filo pastry

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Tangy rhubarb against the sweetness of the frangipane: a marriage made in heaven! If you enjoy cooking with seasonal ingredients, you will enjoy this recipe: rhubarb and frangipane tart in a filo pastry.

We are at the beginning of the rhubarb season, and this is obviously when they are at their sharpest. I love cooking with them, they are wonderful used in both savoury and sweet dishes. Their sharpness is nature’s little reminder that winter is coming to a close and bouncy spring is on its way.

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Ingredients:

Filo pastry (six sheets) and 100g of melted butter

120g ground almonds

120g sugar

2 eggs

120g butter (softened)

2 rhubarb sticks

3 tsp of muscavado sugar

1 tbsp of whisky

Flaked almonds for the topping

Preparation:

Set your oven to a 180º C. For this recipe you will need a rectangular loose tart tin, if you don’t have one you can use an 8″ round loose tin.

For the frangipane, in a food processor, mix the ground almonds, the sugar, the butter and the eggs to a smooth paste.

Brush the filo sheets with the melted butter and line them one at a time inside your tin, making sure that they overhang a little bit over the sides of your tin (this is important as this is what’s going to give your tart a rustic finish once cooked), repeat this process until the tin is completely lined. Then add the frangipane mix  and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon.

Cut your rhubarb into batons of 8 cm (roughly the width of your tin). In a pan, add your rhubarb and a knob of butter, sprinkle with 3 tsp of muscavado sugar and leave to cook for 3 minutes just enough to give your rhubarb a dark golden caramel colour then add 1 tbsp of whisky and let this liquor reduce for another minute.

Arrange the rhubarbs on top of your frangipane and pour the syrup left in the pan over them, then sprinkle with flaked almonds and pop in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until nice and golden on top. Pop a skewer inside, if it comes out clean it’s cooked, if not, pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

Serve warm with a dollop of double cream or vanilla ice cream.

Et voilà: rhubarb and frangipane tart in a filo pastry!

Bon appétit!

 

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Luxury Wedding Show at Brocket Hall

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We are so excited to showcase our patisserie at the historic Brocket Hall, on Sunday 2nd April from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm, as part of the Luxury Wedding Show.

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If you would like to book an appointment with us on that day to discuss your requirements, we would be delighted to hear from you, please send us an email [email protected] It is always helpful if you can specify the number of guests, the cake you are interested in and the date of your wedding.

There will be an opportunity for you to sample our delicious patisserie. We look forward to meeting you all on Sunday.

Red Velvet Cake: a classic of american cookery

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Red Velvet Cake: a beautiful and delicious recipe for you to try at home and a very popular cake at weddings in the UK at the moment.

In America, the red velvet cake is often served at Christmas and Valentine’s day.

Red velvet cake  Red velvet cake Red velvet cake

It is not such a difficult cake to make if you follow each step carefully.

Ingredients for your red velvet cake:

250g flour

250g caster sugar

150g butter

25g baking powder

25g cocoa powder

2 big eggs

1 bottle of red food colouring

250 ml buttermilk

1 tsp of white vinegar

1 tsp of bicarbornate of soda

1tsp of vanilla extract

for the frosting:

400g mascarpone cheese

150g double cream

115g icing sugar

1 tbsp of raspberry liquor

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Preparation:

Set your oven to 180º C. Grease three 8″ cake tins and add a circle of baking parchment at the bottom of each tin.

In a food processor, cream your butter and sugar until light and fluffy (your mix should be white at this stage), then add the vanilla extract and slowly incorporate your eggs one at a time.

Sift your flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix the food colouring with your buttermilk.

Now this is where you have to be a bit careful, with your food processor set on low, add a third of your flour and a third of your buttermilk, mix and then add another third of flour and buttermilk and so on until everything is mixed to a smooth consistency.

Another important step to follow, add your bicarbonate to your vinegar, it will immediately make a white foam, add it straight away to your mixture and slowly fold in with a spatula.

Transfer this mixture to your cake tins, and put in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave your cakes to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wired rack to completely cool.

For the frosting, using a food processor whisk your mascaporne, double cream, vanilla extract and raspberry liquor until nice and fluffy.

Then place the first layer of your cake on a cake stand and spread the top with the frosting, place the second layer on the top and spread more frosting, place the third layer and add more frosting, with a spatula start spreading the rest of your frosting around your cake turning your cake stand as you do it so the frosting spreads evenly.

The top of your cake does not have to be smooth, on the contrary, using the back of a spoon try to make a spike pattern, then sprinkle with cocoa powder. I added a few raspberries and a bit of mint on top, but you could add whatever you like to make it look pretty.

Et voilà!

Bon appétit!