A juicy Grape and Rosemary Tart
This tart combines two of my favourite Mediterranean flavours - grapes and rosemary - and the result is nothing less than heavenly. The fact that the aromatic filling lies on top of buttery crisp puff pastry only exaggerates the temptation.
After failing miserably at making my own puff pastry on a few occasions, I only use this sweet delicacy when I'm in Malta, when I can buy it frozen in exceptionally good quality. If I ever manage to come up with a recipe that's as good as the product that I can buy here from the supermarket, I'll be a very happy baker. You could also use a shortcrust base for this summery tart but I like the elegant look and flaky texture of puff pastry in combination with the syrupy, juicy grapes. The chopped fresh rosemary sprinkled on top of the warm cake as soon as it comes out of the oven adds a woody aroma and gives it an unusual touch - try it, it's fantastic. I used it for a focaccia recipe last year and got hooked on this tasty duo.
I've already baked this tart twice since we arrived in Malta and it immediately gained huge popularity within our family - everybody loves it, kids and grandmother included!
Grape and Rosemary Tart
Makes 1 (28cm / 11") tart, serves 4-6
frozen puff pastry, defrosted, 320g / 11 ounces
dark grapes, preferably seedless, 500g / 18 ounces
granulated sugar 120g / 2/3 cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
roughly chopped fresh rosemary 1 generous tablespoon
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and butter a 28cm / 11" tart pan.
Line the tart pan with the puff pastry, pushing the pastry into the pan, and put in the freezer for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, using a large spoon, mix the grapes, sugar, and lemon juice and spread on top of the chilled pastry. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp at the edges. The grapes will be juicy, so the bottom of the tart won't be crisp. Sprinkle the tart with the rosemary and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Flaky White Chocolate and Cranberry Twists
I've been wanting to bake something with white chocolate and cranberries since December but this idea never reached my oven - too much to bake, too little time. I was drawn to this combination last winter when I mixed them into my crunchy cookie recipe. The chocolate and the berries gave them a nice sweetness, milky and fruity. I enjoyed them so much that I decided to share them with our family and friends in Malta, so I sent them a big parcel stuffed with these cookies at Christmas time. The box was emptied within moments as we witnessed on Skype.
This weekend I felt like this duo again but didn't want to bake cookies. Croissants are more what I had in mind, just without the hassle of making two different doughs for the perfect puff pastry. I thought of my buttery flaky Rugelach, this dough is made to be wrapped around a sweet filling but I wanted something bigger, not just a mouthful - a handful! This is a Sunday morning pastry which you hold in your buttery fingers while you sip your coffee. I went for a long and twisted shape, quick to prepare, easy to eat, no hassle on a Sunday - Good morning everybody!
White Chocolate and Cranberry Twists
For 16 twists you need
plain flour 150g / 5 ounces
icing sugar, 1 heaped tablespoon
butter, cold, 125g / 4.5 ounces
cream cheese, at room temperature, 120g / 4.5 ounces
a pinch of salt
white chocolate, chopped, 70g / 2.5 ounces for the filling
dried cranberries 70g / 2.5 ounces for the filling
For the filling, mix the chocolate and cranberries.
Combine the dry ingredients. Cut the butter with a knife into the flour mixture until there are just little pieces of butter left. Mix with your dough hooks for a few seconds. Add the cream cheese and work it into the mixture with a spoon or the mixer until you have a crumbly mixture. Form 2 discs and put them in the freezer for 30 minutes. The dough should be very cold but not too hard, still rollable.
Preheat the oven to 185°C / 365°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take out one disc, leave the second one in the fridge while you're preparing the first batch. Roll out the disc between floured cling film as the dough becomes very sticky at room temperature. Give it a rectangular shape, the width will be the length of your twists. Cut off a 4.5cm / 2" strip and pull it off the foil (don't worry if it's sticky, it's an elastic dough, you can also use a knife to lift it). Lay the pastry strip flat on your working surface, sprinkle with the filling, pushing it a little into the dough. Carefully, twist the pastry, starting on one side twisting it up to the middle and then continue from the other side. This way you don't loose too much of the filling. Place the twist on the baking sheet and continue with the rest of the dough. Bake the pastry for 12 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. It’s best to check them after 10 minutes to be sure that they don’t get too dark. Let them cool on a wire rack for a few minutes.
