Recipe: Cherry, Macadamia and Caramel White Chocolate Tart

Light almond crust

Ingredients

245gr cream flour

40gr ground almonds

75gr icing sugar

17gr cold butter - cut in small cubes.

1 large free-range egg

Method

• This is enough dough for two tarts, freeze one half for future use.
• Lightly butter an 8-inch loose bottom tin.
• In a food processor, whizz the flour, almonds, and icing sugar until fine powder.
• Add the cubed butter and pulse until the dough just comes together.
• If you work quickly, lightly knead the dough, half it and roll one disk, you can line the tin immediately, otherwise you will need to chill and roll out after half an hour in fridge.
• Once rolled, chill for 30 minutes.
• Then, pre-heat the oven line with parchment paper and baking beans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes - once the base is set lift out the beans and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes until golden all over.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Caramel Sauce for Topping

Ingredients

50gr sugar

80ml cream - warmed

12gr butter

Method

• Put the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan (choose a pan slightly larger than you think you need and ideally with high sides) and cook over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Turn up the heat and the sugar will turn to caramel.
• When the sugar begins to caramelize, swirl the pan gently to disperse the heat.
• When you tilt the pan, the liquid should be a rich caramel colour, be brave enough to cook it to quite a deep colour (if you smell burn, you need to start again), once your caramel is cooked remove from the heat.
• Add the butter and then carefully add the cream and cook for a minute or two more stirring well to remove any lumps.

Filling

Ingredients

20gr sugar

100gr cream

100gr toasted macadamia nuts (lightly chopped)

50gr toasted hazelnuts (lightly chopped)

100gr pitted fresh cherries cut in half (or raspberries)

225gr white chocolate drops

40gr butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

• Scatter the cherries over the base of the tart.
• Scatter over almost all the macadamia nuts (keep back a small handful).
• Cook the sugar as above in a small pot to caramel, remove from the heat and carefully add the cream - be careful as it will splutter. Return to the heat and whisk until smooth.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Melt the chocolate over a Bain Marie of water with barely trembling water.
• Be careful not to over-heat the chocolate.
• Once melted, add the caramel cream to the white chocolate.
• It will thicken, don’t worry, mix until smooth then pour over the tart.
• If it doesn’t fill the holes, press down and spread with a spatula.
• Scatter the remaining Macadamia over the top; decorate with chocolate curls (optional).
• Refrigerate until set.
• Dollop some of the caramel sauce over the top before serving.