Prune Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Blend dough ingredients with pastry blender.
• Add milk to soften as needed.
• Should make into 4 small or 2 large balls.
• Cover and chill dough overnight.
• Cook the prunes in water until soft.
• Drain.
• Press prunes through wire strainer or pureed in blender.
• Add the sugar and mix well.
• Roll out dough into large square in order to cut into 3 inch square Place a mound of filling in the center.
• Split each corner from the top to within 1/2 inch of the center.
• Fold one half of each corner to the center-- to form a star or pinwheel.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet- you may sprinkle croase grain sugar over tart.
• Let stand 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake in hot oven 400*F for 7 to 10 minutes- until light golden brown (they should be realitively pale).
• Remove and cool on rack.

Steps:

• If you want to make the pastry by hand, beat the butter until it is smooth then mix in the icing sugar, one of the eggs and then add the flour. Or, put all the pastry ingredients (again 1 egg only) in the food processor with 2 tsp water and process just until they form a dough. Wrap the pastry in cling film and put in the fridge for half an hour or so to firm up. (You can freeze the pastry now for up to a month.)
• You need to bake the pastry case blind before adding the filling. The best and easiest way to roll the pastry is between 2 floured pieces of cling film. Line a loose-bottomed 23cm tart tin with the pastry, then line this with a piece of greaseproof paper. Put your baking beans on the paper then put the pastry case in the freezer.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C.When the pastry case is rock solid (after about 1⁄2-1 hour), put it in the oven on a baking sheet. After 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans very carefully and glaze the inside with your second egg, beaten first (this makes sure you have no leaks later). Put back in the oven for a further 5 minutes.
• For the filling, melt the butter and leave it to cool a little.While this is happening, beat the eggs, then stir in the sugar and cooled butter. Scatter half the almonds in the base of the tart, then spread the prunes around. Pour the filling over evenly.
• Scatter the rest of the almonds over the top and bake for 20-30 minutes until firm. Take it out, dust over some icing sugar and serve hot, cold or warm with crème fraîche or cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring wine, orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat; add prunes, and let steep 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer prunes to a bowl. Return liquid to a boil; cook until slightly reduced and thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, roll out puff pastry into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and orange zest; sprinkle evenly over pastry. Arrange prunes in rows over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream; brush mixture on edges of pastry.
• Bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes, rotating pan and brushing tart with reserved cooking liquid halfway through. Remove from oven; let cool slightly. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, pour the hot tea over the halved prunes, and let the fruit rehydrate while you make the almond filling.
• Put almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor, and pulse just until ground (be careful not to overprocess, or the filling will become a hard paste). Add the butter, eggs, brandy and almond essence, if using, and pulse just until smooth.
• Drain prunes well, pressing out any excess liquid with your hands, and place in the tart shell, more or less in an even layer. Spoon on the almond mixture, smoothing it with the back of the spoon, then sprinkle over remaining sliced almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is a nice golden brown. Dust with icing sugar, and let cool before serving.

Steps:

• Two days before preparing the flan, toss the prunes with Armagnac or Cognac, cover securely and set aside to marinate. (If time is limited, you can skip the marinade and simply toss the prunes with the spirits, although the two-day marinade will offer a richer, more flavorful dessert.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Butter and flour a 10 1/2-inch straight-sided ceramic baking dish.
• Add one tablespoon of sugar to the marinated prunes and toss. Place them on the bottom of the prepared baking dish, forming a single, tight layer that thoroughly covers the bottom of the dish.
• Place the eggs and three tablespoons of sugar in a large bowl and, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat until well blended. Add the flour and mix well. Add the milk and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until bubbly and brown, about 45 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature. This is just as delicious the next day.

Steps:

• Put the prunes and brandy in a small bowl and leave to steep for about 30 minutes until most of the brandy has been absorbed.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C. Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed cake tin or springform tin. Put the cocoa, chocolate, butter and 140g/5oz of the sugar in a pan, add 100ml/31⁄2fl oz hot water and gently heat until the mixture is smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Sift the flour and cinnamon over and gently fold in with a metal spoon, until almost combined. Add the chocolate mix and fold in until evenly combined.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and arrange the prunes over the top (they will sink into the sponge during baking). Sprinkle over any remaining brandy and bake for about 30 minutes until just firm. Serve with cream or crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Make pastry dough:
• Into a chilled large metal bowl sift together flour and salt. Set a grater in bowl and using largest teardrop-shaped holes coarsely grate frozen butter into flour, gently lifting and tossing flour to coat butter. Chill mixture 20 minutes. Drizzle 8 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork until just incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until just incorporated, and test mixture again. (If you overwork or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hands mound into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough portions together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk (dough will not be smooth). Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 2 hours, or until firm, and up to 2 days.
• On floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough 1/4 inch thick (about a 15-inch round). Fit dough into a 12 1/2- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom and with a rolling pin roll over top of shell to trim pastry flush with rim. With a fork prick bottom of shell all over. Chill shell 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425° F.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of oven 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights or rice and foil and bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool shell in pan on a rack.
• Make filling
• Peel, core, and chop 1 apple. In a saucepan cook chopped apple, apricots, 1/2 cup sugar, and water, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is tender, about 12 minutes. Cool mixture 20 minutes. In a food processor pulse mixture until smooth and transfer to a small bowl. Chop prunes and stir into purée. Peel remaining 4 apples and quarter. Core apples and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
• Spoon apricot purée evenly into shell and smooth top. Decoratively arrange apple slices, overlapping them, over purée and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake tart in middle of oven until apple slices are slightly browned and crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool tart slightly in pan on rack. In a small saucepan melt jam over low heat and pour through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Press hard on solids and discard. With a pastry brush, brush glaze evenly over tart.
• Serve tart with crème fraîche or whipped cream.

Steps:

• Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet, then cover and freeze while preparing the apples.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that's starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
• To assemble the tarte tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.
• Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top - it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
• Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.