Enjoy the wonderful combination of flavours and textures in this delightful Spanish Persimon® tart!

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: 45 minutes

Serves: 6

 You will need:

Pastry:

150g plain flour

2tsp caster sugar

Pinch of salt

75g chilled butter, cut into pieces

1 egg yolk (reserve the white) 

Filling:

2 Spanish Persimons®

60g butter

60g light muscovado sugar

1 egg, beaten

1tbsp milk

40g self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

60g ground hazelnuts or almonds

1/2tsp ground ginger

1tbsp chopped stem ginger in syrup

Squeeze of lemon juice

30g hazelnuts or almonds, chopped

2-3tbsp honey or golden syrup

HOW TO:

1. First make the pastry. Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg yolk and add 2-3tsp chilled water. Stir with a knife, then bring the mixture together with your hands to make a soft (not sticky) dough. 

2. Turn the dough onto a surface dusted with a little flour and knead lightly for a few moments. Wrap and chill for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°C, fan oven 180°C, Gas Mark 6.

3. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 25cm pie dish. Line the dish with baking paper and baking beans or crumpled foil and bake ‘blind’ (i.e. without a filling) for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans or foil and bake for 5 minutes more. Cool the pastry case. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4.

4. Cut the leafy tops from the Spanish Persimon® and cut into thin slices. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then gradually beat in the egg and egg white. Stir in the milk. Fold in the flour, salt, ground hazelnuts or almonds, ground ginger and stem ginger.

5. Transfer to the pastry case and spread out evenly. Lay the sliced persimon® on top, fanning out the slices. Sprinkle them with lemon juice. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately, sprinkled with hazelnuts or almonds and drizzled with honey or golden syrup. 

Cook’s tip: To freeze, cool completely, then wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. To re-heat, thaw completely, cover with foil and warm through in a low oven.  

Credits: Spanish Persimon- http://spanishpersimon.co.uk/

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