Fruit Tarts – Plum and Almond – Pear and Quince – Fig and Earl Grey

STOP PRESS!!  You may not realise this but ready rolled puff pastry – with the exception of the all butter variety – is VEGAN, or at least the Just Rol brand is.   It’s one of those mainstream products I like to call “accidentally vegan”.   Like Pringles Texas BBQ crisps or the classic Oreos, these are the products that didn’t set out to be, and that you just don’t expect to be, vegan.  But are.  This doesn’t mean if you aren’t vegan you shouldn’t use the All Butter Puff if you prefer I am just giving options.

This simple and quick pastry tart can therefore be vegan without even trying.  It’s totally delicious. I think it looks pretty wonderful and you can make endless variations.  If you have more patience than I do and want to slice the fruit more finely and arrange more carefully, this can result in a tart (or should I say galette?) that would grace the window of any French Patisserie.

These tarts use jam underneath whichever fruit you choose to use.  This is particularly good as far as I’m concerned not only as it’s a great shortcut for packing in flavour but because I’ve been a bit obsessed about making jam this year.  This is since reading the wonderful recipes and inventive flavour combinations in Lillie O’Brien’s  book “Five Seasons of Jam”.  In fairness good bought jam would also work really well (I like Bonne Maman), it’s just I couldn’t resist the allure of making jams such as Fig and Earl Grey, Plum and Tomato Leaf or Quince and Rosewater and these tarts give me an excuse to showcase them. Her book is well worth buying if you are interested in jam making or even if you aren’t

I’ve topped these fruit tarts with crushed amaretti (as I am not vegan) and flaked almonds but you could use whatever topping you like.  How about walnuts with the pear and quince or if you have a nut allergy crumbled gingernuts or if you want a savoury tart nuggets of blue cheese and some pine nuts.  Whatever you fancy really.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• Sheet of ready rolled puff pastry (all butter or standard) divided into 4 or 6
• 4-6 tbsp of jam or your choice
• fruit of your choice, sliced (a large plum/a small pear/2 figs for each tart seems to work)
• A little milk (use non dairy if preferred)
• caster sugar (about a teaspoon per tart)
• amaretti, flaked almonds, chopped walnuts, chopped crystallised ginger, etc etc (I used an amaretti biscuit and a sprinkle of flaked almonds per tart

Method

1. Heat oven to 180c fan/200c
2. With a sharp knife, rub a line around the pastry about 2.5cm/1” from edge being careful not to cut all the way through.  This will allow the edges to puss up attractively
3. Brush milk, and sprinkle caster sugar on the edge border you have created so they will glisten when baked.  Don’t worry too much is some of the milk and sugar, despite your best efforts, go beyond the line.
4. Spread a tablespoon of your chosen jam in the centre of each tart avoiding going over your marked line if possible. I used plum jam for the plum tarts, quince jam or membrillo for the pear and fig jam for the fig but the variations are endless
5. Slice your chosen fruit and arrange over your tarts, again, keeping within your line.
6. Sprinkle over topping of your choice in centre – I used amaretti and almonds this time
7. I like to redefine the line with my knife, being careful not to cut right through the pastry, as I find this gives a cleaner edge
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes before allowing to cool.   These are best served warm but reheat beautifully if you want to get ahead

Listening to: West Side Soul by Magic Sam