White Chocolate Glazed Jewel Tarts

 

I love the holidays.  I miss having Thanksgiving over here in the UK.  It seems to me like the perfect start to the holiday season . . . but alas . . . we don't even really seem to celebrate St George's Day which is kind of odd really, seeing as he is the Patron Saint of England.  Oh well as they say up North . . . "There's naught so queer as folk!"



Of course the things I love most about the holidays are having friends and family around and the special food that we get to eat.   We do go all out don't we?   I love it.   I am not opposed to taking a few short cuts if I can however.



I like dessert to be something light and not too filling.  After a heavy meal, a heavy dessert seems to be just too much.  That's why I created these delicious little tarts which although not large in size, are just enough to end a celebratory meal in the perfect way.



Little airy indulgences that aren't going to lay heavily on your stomach.   Sweet enough to let you know you have had a bit of a treat without going over the top.   Composed of butter and flaky puff pastry.  ( I always buy the ready roll all butter, which works wonderfully and is ready at the drop of a hat.)  You make a kind of bejeweled jam to top these airy little bites.  Made from chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, cointreau liqueur and cinnamon, it goes perfectly with that crisp and buttery base.



Topped with flaked almonds and baked until crisp and then drizzled with melted white chocolate, these are the perfect ending to a special meal.  You can top with clotted cream or whipped cream if you like.  Oh so good.  



The filling does make a bit more than you can use in the tarts, but it's also handy for other things, so be sure to check it out below.  In the meantime . . . here you are.  Indulge yourself.

*White Chocolate Glazed Jewel Tarts*

Makes 10 to 12 (4-inch) tarts  

Printable Recipe  

Delightfully crisp little tarts with fruity flavours along with an underlying hint of spice and orange.   Topped with roasted almonds they bake up beautifully.  A final topping of white or dark chocolate drizzle makes these special. Perfect for bunch, holiday teas or a celebratory dessert table. 

For the filling:

250g of dried apricots, cut into small pieces

(1 cup firmly packed)

(I like to use Hungry Jack's Organic.  They have an almost toffee flavour)

75g of dried cranberries (1/2 cup)

3 TBS Cointreau liqueur

335ml of  boiling water (1 1/2 cups)

60ml of white wine (1/4 cup)

85g of white sugar (1/2 cup)

100g of soft light brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup)

1 cinnamon stick 

2 sheets of all butter ready rolled pastry

milk for brushing

170g of flaked toasted almonds (1 cup)

3 TBS demerara sugar (Turbinado)

ground cinnamon to dust

4 ounces of white belgian chocolate to finish

(Alternately you can use dark chocolate, or a mix of both) 

Put the apricot pieces and cranberries into a medium sized bowl.  Pour the boiling water over top, along with the white wine and cointreau.  Cover and set aside to soak for at leat 30 minutes or up to an hour.  Transfer to a saucepan and add the cinnamon stick, and both sugars.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thick and has a jam like consistency.  Set aside to cool.  Remove the cinnamon stick once cold. 

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.  Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Unroll the pastry and using a 4 inch round cutter, cut out five or six rounds from the pastry.   Place on the baking sheet.   Take a smaller (3 inch) cutter and make a light indentation in the centre of the circle.  You will have a half inch rim around the outside of each.  Brush this with some milk and then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.  Dust with cinnamon.  Place a heaping TBS of the apricot mixture into the centre of each pastry, spreading it lightly out to the sugar coated rim.  Don't be tempted to over fill as the mixture will spread upon baking.     Sprinkle the toasted almonds over top of each, dividing equally.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the pastry is golden and crisp.   Remove from the oven and scoop off onto a wire rack immediately.  Allow to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 20 to 30 second intervals until quite soft and melted.  Using a fork, drizzle the chocolate decoratively across the tarts.   Serve when cool, with or without some clotted or softly whipped cream.  



I re-rolled the trimmings and made a tasty little plate of bite sized turnovers.  I just couldn't let any of it go to waste.



You could also use the excess to create flaky larger sized turnovers. Oh so scrummy with a mid morning or afternoon cuppa.

Raisin Puff

If you don't like raisins, you best look away now because today is all about Raisins!  I just adore raisins.  I love eating them out of hand, baking them into cookies and cakes, pies . . . and tasty squares like these Raisin Puff ones here today.  



This is an old recipe that my ex mother in law gave to me about 34 or 35 years ago now. It was always my ex's favourite and one of my favourites too.  And, I'm happy to say . . . tis also a favourite of the Toddsters!  



I think I get my love of everything raisin from my father.  He adored raisin pie.  I think to this day it is one of his favourite pies.  I wish I lived close enough to him to be able to make one for him now.  I used to make him one every now and again when I did live closer.  



I can 't remember if my mom likes raisin pie or not, but I know my sister does.  We were talking about it just today and then I remembered these tasty bars and thought I would share them with you, because I just no that whilst there may be some raisin haters  amongst you, there are sure to also be some raisin lovers just like me!  



These are so easy to make.  You simply make a cooked filling and then bake it in a square pan between two sheets of pastry.  I like to brush the top with a bit of milk and dust with some Turbinado sugar for a bit of sweet crunch.  



I do hope that you will bake them and that when you do you come back to tell me just how much you loved them!  Now, that would make me very happy indeed!    These are also great cut up, wrapped rightly and stogged into lunch boxes!

    



*Raisin Puff*
makes one 8 inch square pan, about 12 squares
Printable Recipe

Another gem from my big blue binder.  Crisp pastry filled with a lovely raisin filling, brushed with milk and glazed with sugar. Delicious.

For the filling:
200g of soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
3 TBS cornflour
300g of raisins (2 cups)
295 ml cold water (1 1/4 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of lemon extract

To finish:
Shortcrust pastry enough for two layers
to fit in an 8 inch square pan
milk
demerara sugar to sprinkle (turbinado sugar)





First make the filling.  Whisk together the brown sugar and cornflour in a saucepan.  Stir in the water and raisins.  Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook for one minute after it boils, stirring, until you have a thick and glossy mixture.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts.  Set aside to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8.  Roll out half of the pastry our large enough to line an  8 inch square pan.  Top with the raisin filling.  Roll the remaining pastry large enough to to fit over the top.  Place on top of the raisins.  Seal the edges.  Brush with milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Place in the heated oven to bake.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and cooked top and bottom, and lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.