California prunes used to make a delicious tart with almonds

Rosemary Shrager preps in her cookery school

Whether it’s a gorgeously indulgent winter warmer or a tasty high-fibre snack for a healthy new you, California Prunes are rich and flavourful, healthy and nutritious – which means they are great in both gooey desserts and light healthy snacks? (#presstrip)

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#prunepower

Rosemary Shrager’s California Prune and Walnut Tart

The sweet, nutty mix of California Prune and Walnut Tart

Using a 20cm tart tin ring

Ingredients

Sweet Pastry ingredients:                              Filling ingredients:
100g unsalted butter                                    100g/10 California Prunes finely chopped
60g sifted icing sugar                                   100g chopped walnuts
1 egg yolk                                                       25g flaked almonds
200g plain flour                                             50g softened unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cold water                                80g golden caster sugar
50g ground almonds
25g plain flour
3 eggs (beaten)
60g honey
200ml double cream
Zest of 2 oranges

To make the pastry put butter, icing sugar and flour into a mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour and sugar using your index and middle finger against your thumb to make breadcrumbs. Alternatively put the ingredients into your food processor and process to breadcrumbs.

Method

Add the egg yolk and water and process to a dough.

Put onto a floured surface (if the dough is too soft put it in the fridge for 30 minutes) and roll out the dough to a 3 mm thickness.

Line the tart ring, making sure you press well into the corners.

Place in the fridge for one hour.

Place greaseproof paper into the pastry base and fill it with rice or baking beans.

Bake the pastry in the oven for 20 minutes, remove the paper and place it back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Mix the prunes and walnuts in a bowl and pour them into the base of the tart.

In the same bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale.

Add the ground almonds, flour, eggs, honey and orange zest and mix well, then fold in the cream.

Pour the mixture into the tart and bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for approx. 40 minutes.

Bruce McMichael

Food writing, discovering food stories, meeting producers, chefs and food enthusiasts are all part of desire to inspire, inform my readers and fellow food lovers. I am a freelance writer, journalist and published author focusing on the international world of food and drink, culture and travel. In 2019 I graduated from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy with a Masters in Food Culture, Communication and Marketing. I am now a visiting Professor at the university teaching Food & Drink Writing. Based in London I travel widely, particularly across western Europe. I have chaired many conferences and meetings, spoken at conferences and events and often appear on radio and TV talking most about food, the business of food and being an entrepreneur. In 2017 I won an episode of the ITV (the UK-based national television channel) cooking competition show, 'Gordon Ramsay's Culinary Genius'. I took my children on holiday to Sicily with the prize money. As an experienced farmers' market manager and operator of a small marmalade/ preserves company, I am very familiar with the issues surrounding local food, farming, enterprise and the environment.

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