What do we love here at DSHQ? Shameless mucking about with classic recipes! This here's no exception; traditionally a linzertorte doesn't involve fresh fruit, but hey, who can resist beautiful, perfumed apricots when they're in season?
If you're like me, and are always running a couple of degrees too warm, then it's definitely worth chilling your hands before you handle the pastry; wrap them around a packet of frozen peas for a while or something. It makes everything a lot easier.
Apricot Linzertorte
Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus 60 minutes chilling time)
Baking time: 30 minutes
You will need:
- 150g caster sugar
- 150g plain flour
- 150g ground almonds or hazelnuts
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- zest of 1 lemon
- 150g cold butter, cubed
- 1 free-range egg, beaten, plus one egg yolk
- 300g apricot jam
- 4-5 ripe apricots, sliced in half vertically and stoned
- 1 tbsp milk
- flaked almonds and icing sugar, to decorate
- Place the caster sugar, flour, ground nuts, cinnamon and lemon zest into a large bowl and stir together until well combined.
- Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, moist breadcrumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and bring together with a wooden spoon and then your hands until you have a ball of soft dough.
- Wrap in lightly oiled cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so, until firm enough to roll. Cut away a quarter of the dough and return it to the cling film and the fridge
- Grease a 24cm, loose-based fluted tart tin.
- Press the dough into the tart tin using your hands, using the heel of your hand to press it gently until about half way up the edge of the tin.
- Spoon the jam onto the base of the tart and spread out into an even layer.
- Arrange the apricot halves, pressing down into the jam.
- Remove the remaining dough from the fridge. Roll out on a well floured surface until about the same length as your tin.
- Use a sharp knife or pastry cutter to cut thin strips from the dough (how many you need depends on how fancy you're going to be with the latticing!)
- Arrange across the surface of the tart, either in strips or weaving in and out, if you're feeling adventurous / arty!
- Press the edges into the dough at the edge, pinching any loose ends together.
- Cover and return to the fridge for 25-30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F / Gas Mark 5.
- Brush the tart with the milk, then bake for around 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the jam bubbling.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes, then gently slide onto a serving board. Decorate with a sprinkling of icing sugar and toasted, flaked almonds.
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