Individual Grape Tarts Recipes

MINI BAKEWELL TARTS

Steps:

• To make the pastry, crumb the flour, butter and sugar with your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs OR throw the ingredients into a food processor until the same result is achieved.
• Add the eggs and mix until the dough comes together but be careful not to over work the pastry or it will become tough. Flatten into a disc, and make about 2-3 dozen mini pies in a muffin tin. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• Put a teaspoon of rassberry jam into the bottom of each tart. Beat the eggs. Cream together the butter and sugar. Then gradually add the beaten eggs and egg yolk. Fold in the ground almonds and lemon zest*.
• Carefully spoon the mixture over the jam. Bake for 20 mins and sprinkle with flaked almonds* and bake for a further 10 - 15 mins or until golden brown and set. Cool to room temperature, dust with icing sugar and serve with pouring cream or custard. * - optional
• They keep well in an airtight container for almost a week but that shouldn't be an issue.

INDIVIDUAL GRAPE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, unfold pastry. Cut into 4 squares (4 3/4 inches each). Transfer to a rimless baking sheet. Using the tip of a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around edges of squares, being careful not to cut all the way through pastry. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk together egg yolk and cream; set egg wash aside. Toss together grapes, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Divide grape mixture among tart shells, keeping it inside the borders. Brush edges of tarts with egg wash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden and grapes are just beginning to collapse, 23 to 27 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack.

FRESH GRAPE TARTS

Steps:

• Puree 1 1/2 cups grapes in processor. Strain grape puree, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible. Pour 1/2 cup grape juice into large bowl; discard any remaining juice. Cut 4 3/4 cups grapes lengthwise in half; add all grapes to juice in bowl. Add sugar, 6 tablespoons flour, and lemon juice; toss to blend well. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Cut off just enough pastry from corners to form rough circle. Transfer pastry to 1 prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over center of pastry, leaving 2 1/2-inch plain border. Spoon half of grape mixture, including juices, into center of pastry. Fold pastry edges up over grapes, forming 2- to 2 1/2-inch border. Dot grapes with 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat with remaining ingredients for second tart.
• Bake tarts until crusts are golden brown and grape juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes (crust border will unfold slightly). Cool tarts to room temperature. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

GRAPE TART

Steps:

• Make pastry cream:
• Whisk together yolks and 1/2 of sugar, then whisk in flour and a pinch salt. Stir together milk and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil over moderate heat. Whisk 1/2 of hot milk into yolks to temper and whisk yolks into milk remaining in pan. Bring custard to a boil over moderate heat and boil, whisking constantly, until very thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter until incorporated. Chill hot pastry cream in a bowl, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper, until cold, about 1 hour.
• Make tart:
• Preheat oven to 425°F while pastry cream chills.
• Open puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 14- by 12-inch rectangle. Quarter pastry to form 4 rectangles. Brush 1/3 inch of edges lightly with water and fold in borders. Brush off excess flour and press borders with back of a fork to seal. Brush borders lightly with water and sprinkle with sugar. Prick insides of shells all over with fork. Bake on a large baking sheet in middle of oven until crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, and transfer to a rack. Gently flatten puff pastry inside border to deflate, and cool completely.
• Halve and seed grapes if necessary. Melt jelly, stirring, and toss with grapes in a bowl.
• Spread pastry cream in shells with a spatula and top with grapes.

GRAPE JELLY BREAKFAST TARTS

Steps:

• Make the tarts: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the shortening and about one-quarter of the butter and pulse until they disappear into the flour, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining butter and pulse a few times, until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Add 1/2 cup ice water and pulse once or twice, until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, form into a disk and wrap tightly; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. (For quicker tarts, use refrigerated pie dough and skip this step.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out ten 4-by-3-inch rectangles using a toaster pastry press or a paring knife. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Chill at least 15 minutes.
• Spread 5 of the dough rectangles with a heaping tablespoonful of jelly each, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Brush the edges with the beaten egg, then cover with the remaining 5 dough rectangles. Crimp the edges with a fork or use the toaster pastry press to seal. Chill at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake the tarts until flaky and golden, 20 to 25 minutes, brushing with the milk after 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: Bring the granulated sugar, orange juice and liqueur (if using) to a simmer in a large skillet over low heat; cook until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Let cool. Brush the glaze on the tarts, sprinkle with the orange zest and let set, 5 minutes.