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Dessert of the Week - Apricot and Fig Frangipane Tart Add/Read Comments
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Just a few hours later what should appear in my RSS reader but a recipe for Plum Tarts with Pistachio Frangipane from Vanielje Kitchen. Fate thought I. But the very next day Inge emailed me with a suggestion that we collaborate on making some wine and food pairings using her recipes and my wine knowledge. I had just picked out a dessert wine to accompany her dish - the 'wow, spooky' feeling was inescapable!
My version is a little different from the recipe Inge posted. For one I couldn't find any ground pistachios and, without a grounder of some description to hand, there was no way on earth I was going to pound two packs of whole pistachios into fine pieces by hand! So ground almonds substituted. With a nod to the Waitrose version I selected apricots and figs to use as the fruit. The figs I soaked overnight in a little of the dessert wine that would be served with the final dish. Pistachios would be used as a final topping, more generously applied than the pecans on the Waitrose version.
You might notice that I slightly overcooked the dish. There are some distinct black patches on a couple of the bits of fruit. Oops. You would have thought this would have aided the wine match but it would seem that intentional burnt and accidental burnt flavours do not go.
To be honest the wine isn't quite a perfect match; it is not quite sweet enough to match the apricots and the sweet pastry. Many, however, will like the palate cleansing qualities of the wine though and the slightly figgy, burnt cake, edge naturally goes well with the figs.
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Comments
That looks amazing Andrew, would the dessert wine go with my plum tart? I often use marsala to soak apricots for saffron rice pud etc. Is there a better option?
Scribbled down by: african vanielje
February 24, 2008 7:31 PM
Your tart sounds wonderful. I love frangipane and dried fruit so this sounds like a match made in heaven.
Scribbled down by: Katie
February 25, 2008 6:53 AM
Inge - I don't think the wine is a great match, it was a little too dry. A sweet Marsala would be great actually (why didn't I think of that!) but a Vin Santo with more sweetness than the one I picked up would work just fine.
Katie - thanks for stopping by. It was rather nice I'm pleased to say and not marred too much by the burnt bits!
Scribbled down by: Andrew
February 25, 2008 3:53 PM
I love desserts and will enjoy this one. I love figs and apricots and will try it with them. Also shall use a sweet wine.
Scribbled down by: Hutoxi Hodiwalla February 27, 2008 6:03 AM
Andrew, this looks delicious, regardless of the slight overcooking. As you say, the figs go well with a little "edginess".
Scribbled down by: Cakelaw
March 2, 2008 7:05 AM
Thanks Cakelaw; I made it again today (for a Mother's Day family dinner) managed to not burn it this time! Seemed to go down very well with everyone.
Scribbled down by: Andrew
March 2, 2008 7:27 PM
I am playing with rhubarb lately but I will be happpy to stray to make this tart! Gorgeous!
Scribbled down by: Tartelette
March 4, 2008 3:24 AM
OMG this looks astonishingly good! Next time I visit you I DEMAND that we have this!
Scribbled down by: Jeanne
March 6, 2008 4:38 PM
Oh my! I found your Blog when I saw it on "Is My Blog Burning?," submitted a salad recipe, forgot about it until I noticed a few referrals from your Blog (thank you!) and now I'm hooked! Your desserts look amazing and I'm going to really need all those salad recipes after eating my way through all the sweets.
Scribbled down by: Annie March 9, 2008 2:19 PM
Now you know why I picked salads! But now I'm off to make another pud...
Scribbled down by: Andrew
March 9, 2008 2:34 PM
I must say, I'm not adverse to any sort of frangipane filled tart. Yours still looks amazing, despite being "overcooked". I love the tumble of fruits and nuts on top.
Scribbled down by: Y March 21, 2008 10:26 PM