Title: James Martin's Prune And Armagnac Tart
Categories: Tarts
Yield: 1 Tart
MMMMM---------------------------PASTRY--------------------------------
100 g Butter (3 oz); chilled,
-diced, plus extra for
-greasing
275 g Plain flour (10 oz); plus
-extra for dusting
100 g Icing sugar (3 oz)
2 Free-range eggs
MMMMM--------------------------FILLING-------------------------------
500 g Prunes (1 lb 2 oz); stones
-removed
200 ml Armagnac (7 oz)
200 g Caster sugar (7 oz)
100 g Butter (3 oz); softened
2 Free-range eggs; plus 1
-free-range egg yolk
50 g Self-raising flour (2 oz)
125 g Ground almonds; (4 oz)
25 g Whole blanched almonds (1
-oz)
300 ml Double cream (10 oz)
2 tb Icing sugar
Grease a 23 cm / 9" loose-bottomed, deep-sided tart tin with butter
and dust with flour.
For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl, then rub
in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles
breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Crack in the eggs and stir
using your fingertips until the mixture comes together as a sticky
dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead
lightly until smooth. Flatten to a thickness of 1 cm / 1/3" using the
palms of your hands, then cover with cling film and chill in the
fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the filling, add all of the prunes, 150 ml / 5 oz of
the Armagnac, 100 g / 3 oz of the caster sugar, and 100 ml / 3 oz of
water to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn off the
heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the prunes have
absorbed the liquid and plumped up and softened.
Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of
3 mm.
Carefully line the prepared tart tin with the pastry, pressing it
into the edges of the tin. Take care not to stretch or break the
pastry.
Blend half of the soaked prunes with 3 tb of the soaking liquid in a
food processor until smooth and pur ed. Spread this mixture over the
base of the pastry case.
Preheat the oven to 190 C/170 C Fan/Gas 5.
For the filling, beat the butter and the remaining caster sugar until
pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating
well after each addition, until they have all been fully incorporated
into the mixture. Fold in the flour and ground almonds carefully with
the last of the Armagnac.
Spoon the mixture into the pastry case and smooth the top. Decorate
the top of the filling with the remaining soaked prunes and the
blanched whole almonds (reserve the remaining soaking liquid).
Bake the tart for 25-35 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown,
puffed up slightly and darker brown around the edges.
Just before serving, heat the remaining soaking liquid in a small pan.
Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until
sticky and syrupy.
When the tart comes out of the oven, trim the excess pastry from the
edges to give a clean edge and brush the top with the Armagnac syrup.
Whisk the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk
is removed. Gently whisk in the remaining Armagnac. Dust the tart
with icing sugar.
Serve the tart hot or warm with the Armagnac cream.
