Quincemeat Bakewell Tart

Following on from last time’s quince salad which was based on Nigel Slater’s pickled quince recipe, I turn this time to another culinary national treasure for quince inspiration (quinspiration? Too much?): Nigella Lawson. Her quincemeat recipe, from How To Be a Domestic Goddess, is an annual event in our house offering, as it does, all the usual loveliness of mincemeat but with the addition of fragrant roast quince. Use it to make mince pies of course, but do try this tart too. It is the lovechild of a mince pie and a Bakewell tart, born at Christmastime under a lucky star and the perfect festive dessert.

Really this is two, if not three, recipes in one. The poached quince is a lovely, purist’s dessert in its own right. Serve with ice-cream or yogurt and granola for a lavish Christmas breakfast. Save the poaching liquor too - it transforms a glass of cheap fizz into an exotic cocktail. You can also make fancy mince pies using this recipe. The recipe below makes too much quince meat nada too much pastry so just use the leftover pastry for small cases, half fill with leftover quince meat then top with a dollop of frangipane and bake. There won’t be room for the poached quince, but you’ll just have to save that for breakfast…

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Quincemeat Bakewell Tart

Yield: 8Prep time: 1 HourCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 2 HourSomewhere between a large mince pie and a Bakewell tart, this indulgent Christmas dessert is made with Nigella’s quincemeat, poached quince and frangipane. One batch of quincemeat will be too much for this tart, but it keeps in sterilized jars for weeks. Save the poaching liquor too and add a splash to champagne for a festive cocktail.

Ingredients

• 1 batch of Nigella Lawson’s quincemeat (the recipe for which you will find in How To Be A Domestic Goddess. If you don’t have a copy, rush out this minute and buy one; I’ve no idea how you’ve reached adulthood without this book.)

• 1 tbsp flaked almonds

• Cream, or brandy cream, to serve

For the poached quince:

• 2 quince

• 300g caster sugar

For the pastry (based on Ottolenghi’s bulletproof recipe):

• 330g plain flour

• 100g icing sugar

• 180g cold, cubed butter

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tbsp cold water

For the frangipane:

• 125g butter, softened

• 125g caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 125g ground almonds

• 1 tbsp plain flour

Instructions

1. Begin by poaching the quince. In a saucepan, dissolve the caster sugar in 400ml of water over a gentle heat. Once dissolved, turn the heat up to just below a simmer. Peel the quince and cut into eighths (they will be rock hard and I find it easier to core them after they’re poached) and pop them in the syrup. Place a circle of damp baking paper on top of the liquid to keep the quince submerged. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the quince are soft (some quince can take 90 minutes) then turn off the heat and leave the quince in the liquid until cooled. Core and set aside until needed.

2. For the pastry, mix the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until sandy. Add the egg and water and whizz until just combined. Shape into a disk and chill for at least 30 minutes.

3. Roll the pastry between 2 sheets of cling film to 3mm thick and use it to line a loose-bottomed pastry case. Prick with a fork, trim the edges and pop in the freezer for 30 minutes.

4. To blind bake the pastry case, preheat the oven to 180C. Cover the pastry with cling film or baking paper and fill the case with baking beans, rice or lentils. Bake for 20 minutes or until sandy and firm in the middle. Remove the beans and continue to cook for a further 5-10 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool. (Leave the oven on for cooking the filling.)

5. While the pastry cooks, make the frangipane. Beat the butter and sugar together then add the eggs one at a time, beating well before adding the next. Fold in the almonds and flour.

6. To assemble the tart, spread a 1cm thick layer of quincemeat over the base of the pastry case. Spoon the frangipane on top and smooth it out. Fish the quince out of the poaching juices and press them into the frangipane. Scatter over the flaked almonds and return the tart to the oven for 45-50 minutes or until the frangipane is set. Cool a little before serving with cream or, if you’re feeling very outrageous, with whipped brandy cream.

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