Baked Custard and Prune Tart

Restaurant: Angasi (TAS)

Recipe from Chef Thomas Dicker (appears on Gourmet Traveler website)

2009 Rating: 7th in Tasmania, Not in top 100

Who can resist a baked custard tart? Heck who can resist a tart of any form! When I saw this recipe I had to make, even though Angasi isn't in the top 100. So here is the recipe, and I'll post the results soon.

Serves 8

Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 1 hour 10 mins (plus resting)

INGREDIENTS

255 gm (1½ cups) pitted prunes (or dates)

2 tbsp brandy

For dusting: icing sugar

To serve: double cream

Almond pastry

185 gm (1¼ cups) plain flour

55 gm (1/3 cup) pure icing sugar

30 gm (¼ cup) almond meal

125 gm cold butter, coarsely chopped

1 egg yolk

Vanilla custard

300 ml thickened cream

3 eggs

150 gm (2/3 cup) caster sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

METHOD

1. For almond pastry, using a food processor, process dry ingredients until combined, then add butter and process until fine crumbs form. Add egg yolk and 1 tbsp cold water and process until mixture just forms a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to bring together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 5mm-thick, then line the base of a greased and baking paper-lined 26cm-diameter springform cake pan with the pastry. Trim edges flush with sides. Prick base with a fork and bake blind until starting to colour (15-20 minutes). Remove paper and weights, bake until golden (4-5 minutes), then cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, process prunes and brandy in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Spread over prepared pastry and set aside.

3. For vanilla custard, heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat, and bring almost to the boil (4-5 minutes). In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Cool slightly. Slowly whisk in hot cream, then pour over prune mixture. Bake until custard is set and top is golden (30-40 minutes). Cool at room temperature, dust with icing sugar, cut into wedges and serve with double cream.

And of course.......eat quickly before it is eaten by someone else!