Red Onion Compote, Sun Dried Tomato, Black Olive and Stilton Tartlets

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Two weeks already!

Not that I forgot…to eat.

Where was I? Just on a WiFi break really. At the farm.

To make up for my time off, I made these light, sweet and savoury tartlets. In this recipe, I decided to experiment with olive oil for the pastry, instead of using butter. I was pleasantly surprised by the result. Not only was it extremely easy to make, but it also turned out light and crisp. Very much like a sablé. For the filling, I took advantage of the natural sweetness of red onions by preparing a compote, which I used as a base for the tartlets. To complement the sweet filling, I topped the onions with sun-dried tomatoes, Moroccan black olives and creamy Stilton.

A perfect summer meal, served with some garden lettuce.

Ingredients for 6 tartlets:

Olive oil pastry

200 g all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 large red onion

¼ cup butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup red wine

¼ cup sugar

½ cup sun dried tomatoes

6 ounces stilton cheese

½ cup Moroccan black olives

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh basil leaves

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, olive oil and salt until obtaining a coarse meal.

2. Add in the water and form a ball.

3. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least ½ hour.

4. In a saucepan, heat butter and olive oil over medium high heat.

5. Mince and stir in the onion.

6. Let cook for about 20 mins until soft.

7. Add the wine, sugar, salt and pepper.

8. Let simmer for another 30 mins, until all the wine has evaporated.

9. Remove from heat and let cool.

10. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
11. Line the tartlet pans with parchment paper.

12. Press the dough into the lined pans.

13. Bake blind for 20 mins, until golden.

14. Let cool on a rack.

15. Layer the crusts with red onion compote.

16. Coarsely chop tomatoes and olives and spread over the compote.

17. Crumble the cheese over the tartlets.

18. Bake for 15 mins, until the cheese has melted.

19. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with porchetta and garden salad.

Chocolate Banana Almond Tarts

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Still on my tart roll! Have you ever had one or two bananas that were too ripe to eat but could not use for banana bread? Well, you could blend them up with frozen berries and yogurt for a booster smoothie or you could just go for these decadent tarts. In individual portions for the weight-conscious gourmands!

These treats draw their sweetness from the bananas, which are infused with the spicy aroma of the dark rum! Especially, if you can get a hold of a bottle of Madagascar dark rum!

Ingredients for one dozen tartlets:

For the pastry:

1 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup almonds

¼ cup sugar

½ cup cold butter

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons cold water

1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

2 ripe bananas

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup butter

¼ cup dark rum

½ cup dark chocolate

1. Chop the almonds in a food processor until ground.

2. Mix the ground almonds, the sugar and the salt with the flour in a bowl.

3. Cut the butter into small cubes and, using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture until obtaining coarse grains.

4. Slightly beat the egg yolk and stir into the flour mixture with a fork.

5. Add the water and knead for 1 min to form a ball.

6. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 mins.

7. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

8. Line tartlet pans with parchment paper.

9. Roll the dough on a floured board.

10. Cut the dough and drape it over the lined pans.

11. Bake blind for 20 mins, until golden.

12. While baking the tart shells, chop the bananas.

13. Heat the olive oil under medium high heat in a small pan.

14. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the bananas to the pan and stir fry for 5 mins.

15. Pour the rum on the fruit and cook until caramelised.

16. Remove the banana mixture from the heat and let cool.

17. Spoon the banana filling into the baked shell.18. Finely chop the chocolate using a serrated knife.

19. Cover the banana with the chocolate and ½ teaspoon of butter.

20. Bake for 10 mins, until the chocolate has melted.

21. Serve immediately.

Tomato Cream Cheese Almond Tarts

Guess I am on my tart and pie kick this month! These tomato tarts are another easy way to enjoy my almond pastry, especially if you have extra dough from the chocolate tart recipe. The savoury cream cheese enhances the sweetness of the baked tomatoes, matching the cookie-like tart shell. Perfect as a first course or side dish!

Ingredients for one dozen tartlets:

For the pastry:

1 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup almonds

1/4 cup sugar

½ cup cold butter

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons cold water

1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

1 bag of two dozen cherry tomatoes

1 package light cream cheese

¼ cup Dijon mustard

1. Chop the almonds in a food processor until ground.

2. Mix the ground almonds, the sugar and the salt with the flour in a bowl.

3. Cut the butter into small cubes and, using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture until obtaining coarse grains.

4. Slightly beat the egg yolk and stir into the flour mixture with a fork.

5. Add the water and knead for 1 mins to form a ball.

6. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 mins.

7. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

8. Line tartlet pans with parchment paper.

9. Roll the dough on a floured board.

10. Cut the dough and drape it over the lined pans.

11. Bake blind for 20 mins, until golden.

12. Chill in the fridge for 15 mins.

13. Generously brush the tart shells with mustard.

14. Slice the cream cheese and lay on the mustard.

15. Halve the cherry tomatoes and place on the cheese with their skin up.16. Bake for 15 mins, until the tomatoes are browned.

17. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and serve immediately.

Chocolate Almond Tarts

It is fall, and we could be happy with apple and other fruit pies. But for those who know me, there had to be a chocolate tart recipe soon! Yes! This recipe works best for tartlets, which are served warm. And this time, I decided to spike my pastry with ground almonds to contrast with the filling.

You will find a sweet surprise in the oozing chocolate ganache.
You would not want to share these delicacies with anyone!

Ingredients for one dozen tartlets:

For the pastry:

1 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup almonds

¼ cup sugar

½ cup cold butter

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons cold water

1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sugar

¼ pound dark chocolate

2/3 cup butter

Candied cherries or orange peel

1. Chop the almonds in a food processor until ground.

2. Mix the ground almonds, the sugar and the salt with the flour in a bowl.

3. Cut the butter into small cubes and, using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture until obtaining coarse grains.

4. Slightly beat the egg yolk and stir into the flour mixture with a fork.

5. Add the water and knead for 1 mins to form a ball. 6. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 mins.

7. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

8. Line tartlet pans with parchment paper.

9. Roll the dough on a floured board.

10. Cut the dough and drape it over the lined pans.

11. Bake blind for 20 mins, until golden.

12. Chill in the fridge for 15 mins.

13. While baking the tart shells, melt the butter and the chocolate in a bowl using a double boiler. 14. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat.

15. Beat the eggs and the sugar until fluffy.

16. Fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture using a wooden spoon.

17. Chill completely. If you are eager to try the tartlets the same day, transfer the chocolate filling into a metal bowl and freeze for 30 mins. If not, the filling will solidify in the fridge overnight.

18. Drop a teaspoonful of candied fruit into the tart shells.

19. Top with a spoonful of the chocolate filling.

20. Bake for 10 mins and serve immediately.

Raisin Gala and Spartan Apple Pie

With fall come apples, which means homemade pies. I do not understand why people buy ready-made pastries when it only takes a few minutes to mix butter, flour and water.

This recipe features a pâte brisée, the easiest pastry ever - and I am sure you will agree with me when you try it! No need to fuss around to get this thin crust ready!
In this pie, the sweet tartness of small red and yellow Galas and bright pink Spartan is balanced with the candied and dried fruit. Perfect for a light dessert!

Ingredients for the pâte brisée:

200 grams all-purpose flour

100 grams room temperature butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (75 mL) cold water

Ingredients for the filling:

4 apples (2 gala and 2 spartan)

¼ cup raisins

2 tablespoons candied orange peel

¼ cup orange liqueur

1 egg yolk

1. In a bowl, combine flour and salt. 2. Cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour until obtaining coarse grains.

3. Pour the water in and slightly knead to form a ball.

4. Wrap the dough with clingfilm and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 mins.

5. Slice the apples. You can also peel the apples, but I prefer them with their skin on.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

7. Line a deep pie pan with parchment paper.

8. Roll the dough using a pin on floured board.

9. Transfer the dough to the pan. Bake the pastry blind for 15 to 20 mins to avoid a soggy crust.

10. Layer the candied peel, the raisin and the apple slices in the pie pan.

11. Bake for 30 mins, until the apples are golden brown.

12. Slightly beat the orange liqueur with the egg yolk.

13. Brush the apples with the egg mixture.

14. Bake for another 5 mins.

15. Serve warm, au natural or à la mode.