Brandy Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add egg yolk. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms., Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 11-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 350°., In a small saucepan, combine preserves and brandy; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Brush 2 tablespoons over crust. Arrange apricots over crust and brush with preserve mixture. , Bake 18-22 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring dried fruit and cider to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is almost absorbed, 8 minutes. Transfer fruit mixture to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pasty. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in pecans and brandy. (To store, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate, up to 1 week.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. With a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into 12 rounds, then press rounds into 12 standard muffin cups (dough should come 3/4 inch up sides). Divide fruit mixture among cups and brush edges with egg. With a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut remaining dough into 12 smaller rounds (reroll scraps if necessary). With lightly floured decorative cutters or a knife, cut out shapes from smaller rounds (or cut slits to vent). Place on tartlets, pressing lightly at edges to seal. Brush tops with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Freeze until firm, 10 minutes (or up to 1 day).
• Bake until tartlets are golden brown, 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan, 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around each tartlet; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crumbs with butter. Form in a 9-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
• Pour 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over it. Add 1/3 cup sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir to blend. Place over low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture thickens. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
• Stir the Cognac and creme de cacao into the mixture. Then chill until the mixture starts to mound slightly when nudged with a spoon.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until peaks are firm. Fold the meringue into the thickened mixture.
• Whip the cream, then fold into the mixture. Add food coloring if desired. Turn the mixture into the crust. Add garnish, if desired. Chill several hours or overnight.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Mix the graham cracker crumbs with 2 tbsp sugar and butter in a bowl.
• Press the crumb mixtures evenly into a 9 inch tart pan, covering bottom and sides. Bake 10 minutes. Cool.
• Place the water in the top of a double boiler set over hot water. Sprinkle in gelatin or agar and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Add half the sugar and egg yolks. Whisk continually over a low heat until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture thickens. Do not boil.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy.
• Set the pan in ice water and stir until it cools and thickens. It should not set completely.
• With an electric mixer, beat the salt and egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Beat in the remaining sugar. Fold large dollops into the yolk mixture.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold into the filling. Spoon into the prebaked crust and chill until set, 3-4 hours. Decorate with chocolate curls immediately before serving.

Steps:

• * To Make Tart:.
• Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over the dates. Pour the boiling water over the dates. Leave to cool.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. When the butter mixture is light and creamy, gradually beat in the egg.
• Sift the dry ingredients. Alternately fold the dry ingredients and the date mixture into the creamed mixture, using a metal spoon.
• Pour into a greased 25 cm pie dish or cake tin.
• Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 45 minutes until dark brown and done.
• Prepare the sauce and pour over the hot tart.
• * To Make Sauce:.
• Bring the sugar, water and butter to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and brandy. Pour the warm sauce over the hot cake and leave to cool.
• Cut the tart into equal portions.
• Fill a large piping bag with 1 cup whipped fresh cream.
• Pipe a large curl of cream on each serving. Add a sprinkling of chopped pecan nuts.