Recipes
Lemon and yuzu meringue tart
A show-stopping lemon meringue pie with a fashionable twist from Will Torrent's Patisserie at Home - a great book if you aspire to cook like a pastry chef (but don't be daunted. The instructions are particularly clear.)
Will writes: I wanted to update the classic tarte au citron with an unusual flavour and an old-fashioned technique. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit, like a hybrid of lemon and lime with a hint of mandarin. I like to top my lemon tart with meringue, piped high and flambéed at the dinner table with a blowtorch!
1 x quantity Pâte Sablée (see below)
25 g white chocolate
Lemon and yuzu curd
2 tablespoons yuzu juice (available online or in good Japanese supermarkets)
juice and grated zest of 2 lemons
3 egg yolks
100 g raw cane sugar
2 tablespoons butter, chilled and diced
Meringue topping
100 g sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 egg whites
You will also need:
a 20-cm fluted tart pan, greased and lightly dusted with flour
baking beans
sugar thermometer
piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle
kitchen blowtorch (optional)
Serves 6–8
Preheat the oven to 180ËšC (350ËšF) Gas 4.
Take the Pâte Sablée out of the fridge and put on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to a rough circle at about 25 cm in diameter.
Loosely wrap the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared tart pan. Unravel the dough into the pan. Gently coax the dough neatly into the curves and angles of the pan, press lightly into the sides and cut off any excess with a small, sharp knife.
Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper over the pan and fill it with baking beans. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 10–15 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 160ËšC (325ËšF) Gas 3. Remove the paper and beans from the tart pan and return the tart case to the oven for 5–10 minutes. Remove the tart case from the oven and allow to cool completely, then remove from the pan.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate on low power in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (not letting the base of the bowl touch the water). Brush the melted chocolate inside the cooled tart case.
For the lemon and yuzu curd
Put the yuzu juice, juice of 1 lemon and all the lemon zest in a saucepan and bring to the boil over low heat.
Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk until it looks like the sugar has dissolved. Very slowly pour the boiled citrus juice into the mixing bowl, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the pan, set over medium heat and stir. It will start to thicken and resemble thick, glossy curd.
Now remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Mix until all the butter has melted. Finally, pour the curd into the tart case and allow to cool completely.
For the meringue
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer over low heat until the syrup reaches 121ËšC (250ËšF) on a sugar thermometer.
Meanwhile, put the egg whites and remaining lemon juice in a stand mixer and begin whisking until stiff peaks form. Once the syrup has reached the right temperature, slowly pour it in a steady stream into the meringue bowl with the beaters still running. Avoid letting the syrup touch the beaters. Keep whisking until you have used up all the syrup and the meringue is glossy, thick and has cooled substantially – this may take several minutes of whisking. The bowl itself must have cooled too.
Fill the piping bag with meringue and pipe bulbs of different sizes onto the curd in the tart case (see picture - love this effect FB)
To serve, blast the meringue with a kitchen blowtorch or under a very hot grill.
Pâte sable
This is one of my favourite types of pastry. It’s a rich, sweet shortcrust but made with icing sugar to achieve a really lovely crisp, crumbly texture (‘sablée’ means sandy) that works perfectly with rich cream and fresh fruit. It’s so versatile that you can use it for tarts and biscuits but also as the base for gâteaux.
200 g butter, softened
100 g icing sugar
a pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250 g plain flour
Makes enough to line a 20-cm tart pan
Beat the butter, sugar and salt together in a stand mixer or in a bowl with an electric whisk until pale – about 5 minutes.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise using a small, sharp knife and scrape the seeds out into the creamed butter mixture. Add the lemon zest and beat again to incorporate.
With the whisk running, gradually add the eggs, mixing until fully incorporated.
Gently mix in the flour but do not over-work the dough otherwise the gluten will develop and you will end up with pastry that is tough rather than crisp and light.
Bring the dough together into a ball with your hands, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate until needed – at least 2 hours, but overnight if possible.
What to drink:
Lemon is quite a tricky ingredient to pair with wine - it needs something with a similar acidity. I'd go for a beerenauslese Riesling myself or a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc. Alternatively you could go for something a little lighter like a well-chilled Moscato d'Asti.
Recipe from Patisserie at Home by Will Torrent, photography Jonathan Gregson published by Ryland Peters & Small £19.99.
Key Lime Pie
This was the dessert I raved about at Blackfoot in Exmouth market the other day and which I was thrilled to see was in their consultant chef Allegra McEvedy's terrific new book Big Table, Busy Kitchen. I know we're not supposed to be eating puds in January but make an exception for this one.
Allegra writes: "I conducted some fairly extensive research on this American classic to determine what actually defines a key lime pie, and came to the conclusion that really, it can be anything limey, which in any Yank’s book, we most certainly are. Think of this version as a roughly non-cheesy cheesecake, with a top that’s ballsy with lime zest and lighter than angel farts, anchored down by a ginger nutty base.
Will make 8–10 people very happy
120g digestive biscuits
120g ginger nuts
80g butter, melted
3 eggs, separated
zest and juice of 5 limes (see footnote*)
1 x 400ml tin condensed milk
½ tsp cream of tartar
60g caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140ºC/Gas 3 and butter a 20cm springform tin that’s about 7cm deep.
Bust up your biscuits until fairly well ground, either in a food processor or the old-fashioned way (by bashing them in a bag with a rolling pin). Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter, then dump into the tin and use the backs of your curled-up fingers to press it down and make sure it’s well compacted. Stick it in the fridge to firm up.
Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk with the lime zest, lime juice and condensed milk to just combine.
Either in another bowl using an electric hand whisk, or in an upright mixer, or by hand, whisk the whites until they start to go frothy. Doing it the old fashioned way with muscle is weirdly satisfying and only takes (me) about 4 minutes. Stir the cream of tartar into the sugar, and gradually add to the whites while they’re still moving until you have a bowlful of stiff meringue. Fold the whites into the limey mix in two batches, then pour this on to your base.
Pop the tin on a baking tray, put in the oven straightaway and bake for about 25–35 minutes, until it’s just set – firm around the outside with the faintest of wobbles in the middle.
Leave to cool completely – the pie is best served totally chilled, so once it’s cooled to room temperature, stick it in the fridge for an hour at least. The top will crack a little as it contracts, but that’s never bothered me, or anyone else that’s ever been wowed by it. The longer you leave it, the limier it gets.
* The only imponderable in the recipe. How juicy are your limes? My guess is that Allegra will use good ones so you'd be looking at 2 tbsp juice per lime so 10 tbsp in all. Use untreated limes if you can get hold of them otherwise scrub them before you zest them. FB
What to drink: With an airy pie like this I'd go for a Moscato d'Asti
Big Table, Busy Kitchen by Allegra McEvedy (Quercus) is out now and is available for £15 from www.quercusbooks.co.uk. Photograph © Chris Terry.
Strawberry tiramisu
This is a slight adaptation of a fantastic recipe from Italian cookery writer Valentina Harris which I first tasted on one of her cookery courses in Tuscany and included in my book Food, Wine and Friends.
Serves 6
400g (14 oz) ripe strawberries
5 hard amaretti biscuits
2 large eggs, separated
40g (1 1/2 oz) caster sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp white rum
250g (9 oz) mascarpone cheese at room temperature
3 tbsp whipping cream
100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) pressed apple juice
1/2 a 200g pack of savoiardi (sponge finger biscuits)
You will need a medium to large, deep glass bowl
Hull the strawberries. Weigh out 100g and chop them finely. Slice the remaining strawberries and set aside.
Put the amaretti biscuits in a plastic bag, seal then bash them with a rolling pin until they are the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs.
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl with electric hand held beater or a whisk until pale yellow and fluffy, gradually adding the caster sugar as you go. Add the vanilla extract and a tablespoon of the white rum.
Tip the mascarpone cheese into a large bowl, beat with a wooden spoon to soften then gradually add the eggs and sugar and beat until smooth.
In another bowl beat the egg whites until they just hold a soft peak.
Fold the chopped strawberries into the mascarpone cheese mixture, then carefully fold in the egg whites.
Whip the whipping cream to a similar consistency then fold that in too together with a third of the crushed amaretti biscuits.
Mix the remaining rum with the apple juice. Dip some of the biscuits in the apple-rum mixture and lay across the base of your bowl.
Reserving some strawberries for decoration, arrange a layer of sliced strawberries over the biscuits then cover with a layer of mascarpone cream. Repeat with one or two more layers of soaked biscuits, strawberries and mascarpone cream, finishing with the mascarpone cream.
Cover the bowl tightly with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours. About an hour before you serve up sprinkle the remaining amaretti biscuits over the top of the trifle then decorate with the remaining strawberries. Return the tiramisu to the fridge until you’re ready to serve it.
Note: this recipe includes uncooked egg
What to drink: A well chilled glass of Moscato d'Asti would be perfect.
A Champagne (or sparkling wine) tasting and Russian-style smoked salmon and 'caviar' feast
In the run-up Christmas there’s not much time for time-consuming dinner parties so this tasting and light supper is a fun and indulgent way to entertain good friends. Ask each of them to bring a chilled* bottle of bubbly - Champagne or otherwise - provide a couple of your own, cover up the bottles and taste them ‘blind’. Great fun for a start to see who can spot the ‘real’ Champagne (don’t worry if you can’t - many professionals are fooled by these kind of exercises) and a delicious way to get into festive mood.
I’d include a well known brand such as Moet et Chandon or Veuve Clicquot, a ‘grower’s’ Champagne (I like Serge Mathieu in the Aube), a supermarket own brand Champagne, a good quality Californian sparkling wine such as Roederer Quartet (Anderson Valley Brut in the US) and a quality Australian sparkler such as Green Point but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pop an easier-to-spot Prosecco or a Cava into the line-up.
Follow your tasting with a Russian-style smoked salmon and ‘caviar’ feast followed by a light grape and lemon tiramisu tart. Totally simple but none the less impressive for that.
* sparkling wine should always be chilled prior to opening otherwise the pressure in the bottle can create an explosive release of the cork
A Russian-style smoked salmon and ‘caviar’ feast
I once had a meal like this in St Petersburg with real caviar and fake Champagne or champanskya as they call it in Russia. I suggest you reverse that and serve real fizz and a caviar substitute.For eight people you will need:
About 1 kg good quality finely sliced smoked salmon
3-4 x 50g jars of a caviar substitute such as Onuga (or, of course, caviar if you’re feeling wildly extravagant!)
1 x 284ml carton sour cream
1 mild, sweet white onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
3 lemons, cut into wedges
Black pepper
A selection of breads and crispbreads such as Irish brown soda bread, light rye bread or rye crackers and/or some blinis
All you need do is lay out the smoked salmon and put all the accompaniments in bowls or on serving dishes for people to help themselves. It really couldn’t be easier.
Recommended wine match: Champagne or dry Champagne-style sparkling wine (see above)
Grape and lemon tiramisu tart
This is an unbelievably easy and impressive looking tart with a tiramisu-style topping that goes wonderfully well with a sparkling moscato. The quantities given will serve 4-6 so make two tarts for 8. 230g pack of ready rolled puff pastry or 225g home made puff pastry rolled thinly into a 28cm (11 in) circle
2 large eggs, separated
2 level tbsp caster sugar + 1 tsp for sprinkling on the pastry
1 x 250g tub of mascarpone
2 1/2 tbsp Limoncello liqueur
250g/ 9 oz white seedless or halved and seeded grapes, rinsed and dried
250g/9 oz red seedless or halved and seeded grapes, rinsed and dried
1 level tsp icing sugar
You will need a large square baking sheet (about 31 x 33cm), lightly greased
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Take the pastry out of the fridge and let it rest for 10 minutes before you use it. Unroll it carefully onto the baking sheet, removing the greaseproof paper and cut about a 1 1/2 cm strip off round the edge to leave you with a 28cm circle. Lightly whisk the egg whites and brush a thin layer onto the pastry. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of sugar then prick the base all over with the prongs of a fork and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffy and brown. Leave on one side to cool while you make the topping. Tip the mascarpone into a bowl and gradually work in the Limoncello. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining caster sugar until pale, thick and creamy. Gently fold the mascarpone mix into the eggs until thoroughly blended. When the pastry base is cool transfer it to a large serving plate or tray and spread over the creamed mascarpone with a spatula, taking it almost up to the edges. Scatter the grapes randomly over the surface so you get a nice mix of colours. Sift the icing sugar over the top and serve straight away or chill the tart for a couple of hours then sprinkle with icing sugar.
Note: this recipe contains raw eggs
Recommended wine match: great with a gently sparkling, sweet Moscato d’Asti or Asti
RSSLatest post
What food to pair with MalbecMost popular
.jpg)
9 great wine pairings for duck (updated)
My latest book
How to Drink without DrinkingNews and views
.jpg)
Fine Wine and Fast Food
About Fiona
About Matching Food & Wine
Work with me
