Come Dine With Me recipes Mr Tarty's autumn fruit and frangipane tart recipe

Thoby Young's menu

Date Published:

20/05/2009

Thoby Young put his heart into this cheeky tart on Come Dine With Me West London

1. To make the pastry, mix the butter and sugar together then add the beaten egg and beat vigorously. Stir in the flour, vanilla seeds and salt. Mix by hand gently until well blended. Form into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Carefully roll out the dough on a well-floured board and use to line a 23-25cm loose-based tart tin. (Alternatively, press flattened pieces of the dough into the tin, taking care to line evenly.) Reserve the trimmings. Lightly prick the base with a fork. Place a large circle of crumpled baking parchment over the pastry and fill with baking beans or dried chickpeas.

3. Put on a sturdy baking tray and bake for 25 minutes or until just beginning to colour. Remove the beans and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the base looks dry. (If your pastry ends up with a few holes, simply patch with pastry trimmings.) Leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/Gas 4.

4. While the pastry is being prepared, make the frangipane filling. In a mixer or by hand, cream the sugar and butter in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Stir in the ground almonds and flour. Beat again until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Cover and chill.

5. Next, prepare the topping. Put the apple slices in a medium saucepan with a couple of splashes of water, the sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Cook over a low heat until the apples begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the blackberries and cook until just starting to soften. Both fruits must keep their shape. Remove from the heat, drain in a colander and set aside to cool.

6. Spread the frangipane evenly on the pastry case. Arrange the fruit on top of the filling, pressing gently into the frangipane. Roughly a third of the frangipane should be visible around the fruit. Bake on the tray for about 45 minutes or until the frangipane is risen, firm and golden brown and the pastry is fully cooked. Cool in the tin for about 20 minutes before carefully lifting out and cutting into wedges to serve.

Please note this recipe is the contestant's own and has not been tested professionally. Like the Come Dine With Me contestants, you could be creating a culinary delight or dining disaster, so switch on your ovens and be bold.

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