I have a deep appreciation for something beautiful, and this month’s Frangipani Fruit Rose Tart is just that… something absolutely gorgeous! Though time-consuming, these hand-rolled fruit roses aren’t that difficult once you get the hang of it and they make for a very impressive dessert.
YOU WILL NEED
Equipment: An electric mixer/food processor, tart tin (I recommend one with a loose bottom), a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife, ceramic baking beans (or uncooked rice).
INGREDIENTS
For the tart crust:
400g sweet shortcrust pastry (I used shop-bought!)
Flour, for dusting
For the frangipani:
125g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
125g caster sugar
25g plain flour
125g ground almonds
1 large free-range egg, beaten
For the fruit roses:
6-8 medium-sized plums or other stone fruit of your choice – riper fruits work best
To finish:
3-4 tablespoons apricot jam
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 200ºC (Gas Mark 6) and prepare your tart tin by spraying with non-stick spray.
Instructions for the crust:
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of about 3mm. Use the pastry to line the tin, gently pressing it into the sides and leaving about 1cm overhanging the top edge.
- Using a fork, prick the base, then line with greaseproof paper and fill with ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- When the crust has chilled, blind bake it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then return the pastry to the oven for 5 minutes to cook the base.
- When cooked, use a sharp knife to trim the excess pastry, so it’s level with the top of the tin and set aside to cool.
- Turn the oven down to 150ºC (Gas Mark 2).
Instructions for the frangipani:
- Using your electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, flour and almonds together.
- Once combined, slowly add the egg, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Allow the frangipane to rest for 5 minutes before smoothing it inside the pastry case.
Instructions for the fruit roses:
- To begin, cut your fruit in half, remove the pit and place one of the fruit halves on the mandolin. Slice as thin as possible – I used a 2mm setting. Riper fruit, sliced thinly, roll much easier than crispier fruit or thicker slices.
- Arrange all the slices on top of one another and cut in half along the same line as where the stone used to be.
- Take a single slice and start rolling it as tightly as possible to form the core of your rose.
- Gradually add petals, making sure the tapered end of each next slice overlaps with a fuller petal section of the previous slice.
- As you finish each rose, place it on the frangipani filling, gently pushing it into the filling. You can always add more petals at this stage to make the rose look fuller. Continue to roll roses until the tart is filled.
- Once all the roses are in, bake the tart for approximately 30-35 minutes until the fruit roses are soft and the frangipani filling is golden.
- Gently heat the apricot jam in a small pan for about 2 minutes until runny and warm. Remove the tart from the oven and brush with the melted jam while still warm.
- Allow the tart to cool slightly before removing from the tin for serving in slices.
Cook’s notes:
- I was only able to lay my hands on plums, but you could use any or a combination of stone fruits like peaches, nectarines, apricots etc.
- The rose making is definitely the most time-consuming part of this dessert. You can, however, make some of the roses in advance if you have egg cups or other little shallow cups to hold them in place. I’m doing the instructions as if you’re using a mandolin as I did, but if you’re confident enough in your fine-slicing-abilities, a very sharp knife will do the trick!
Happy baking, and do let me know how your tart turns out!
