Fruit Mince Frangipane Tartlets Recipe

by | Monday, 5 Dec 2011 | Blog, Extraordinary Experiences

When it came to finding the most delicious pairing for Avondale’s premium bubbly, Armilla, Sonia Cabano selected these tartlets made by Olivier Wagener from Greed Cakes & Desserts.  Good news is that they are also available, ready to bake, from Avondale Estate over the festive period.

Thanks to Olivier for generously sharing his recipe here.  He says, “Of course a man cannot give away all his secrets but I was inspired by the fruit tartlets found in Bake by Tina Bester Queen of Tarts.”

(www.queenoftarts.co.za and www.quivertreepublications.com).

“You’ll find included the recipe for the fruit mince filling as well – though this needs to be made well in advance.  So, in today’s times of instant gratification, and because we don’t always have the time to plan so much in advance – you don’t have to be afraid or ashamed to substitute the premade fruit mince fillings that you can get at most good supermarkets.”

“The recipe as found in her book, courtesy of Tina, the Queen of Tarts:

 

Pastry:

  • 225 g cold butter, cubed
  • 200 g castor sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 500 g cake flour

 

  1. Place butter and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine until mixture comes together.
  2. With the motor running add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.
  3. If your food processor’s bowl is big enough you can either add the flour to the bowl, and pulse it until it comes together to form a coarse pastry; or you can turn the butter/egg mix into mixing bowl and mix the flour through with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  4. Form the pastry into a ball, wrap it tightly with cling wrap and leave it to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

 

Filling:

  • 300g sultanas
  • 180g currants
  • 200g raisins
  • 125g dates, stoned and chopped
  • 125g glazed cherries, chopped
  • 125g dried apricots, chopped
  • 60g glazed ginger
  • 60g mixed peal
  • 2 apples, grated
  • 80ml fig jam
  • zest of oranges
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 225g treacle sugar
  • 2 tsp all spice
  • 250ml brandy
  • 100ml flaked almonds

 

  1. Mix all ingredients for the fruit mince in a bowl.
  2. Cover with cling wrap and store in the fridge for 1 month.
  3. Stir mixture 2 to 3 times a week.

 

Frangipane Topping:

  • 100 g almond meal
  • 125 g castor sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125 g butter

 

  1. Beat together the butter and castor sugar until its soft and mixed well, you don’t want it too creamy.
  2. Add the eggs and mix well, the mixture might look like its separating but don’t worry.
  3. It will be fine once you stir in the ground almonds.

 

To make the tarts:

  1. Press pastry rounds into greased tartlet tins taking care to keep in fairly thin and even.
  2. Place tins in fridge for about 30min.
  3. While bases are chilling in fridge preheat oven to 180C.
  4. Bake the tartlet bases for around 10min or until lightly golden brown – times will vary depending on the size of the shells you are baking. If you are making mini ones, like I do, you will not need to weigh the pastry down during the initial baking phase. For bigger tarts I’ll recommend blind baking – cover the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beads, dried beans or rice.
  5. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  6. Once cooled, and before you spoon the filling into shells,  quickly check to see if they are loose and not sticking to tin – it will just make removing the finished tartlets from the tin much easier – I learned this the hard way!
  7. Place a teaspoon of fruit mince filling in each shell, levelling it out as you go along.
  8. Spoon a teaspoon of the frangipane on top of the filling in each shell and smooth it out.
  9. Sprinkle flaked almonds over the topping
  10. Return to the oven to bake for about 10-15 min, depending on size, or until the topping turns a beautiful golden colour.
  11. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a while before removing from the tins and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.
  12. Lightly dust with icing sugar before serving.

 

Enjoy with Avondale’s Armilla!

 

 

So who is Olivier Wagener from Greed Cakes & Desserts?

Olivier describes himself as a small-town boy who moved to Cape Town in 2003. “I had childhood dreams of becoming a pastry chef but my path led me from being accepted at PE Technikon to study Fashion Design to eventually studying Hotel Management,  and I currently work in the account department of a big contract catering company!”

Olivier says that he has always had a huge love for food but his he reserves his biggest love for baking.  After persuading his landlord to install a good oven in his apartment a few years ago, Olivier hasn’t stopped baking since!   He started a little home business, Greed Cakes & Desserts, originally specialising in cupcakes but due to demand started making many other baked goods.  “There is lots to learn and many more recipes to try,” says Olivier, “I would like to take home baking to the next level.  We all love home-made but don’t always have the time or maybe the skills to make it happen, and that is where I come in – all the goodness and joy of home-made but without all the hassles.”  Olivier can be contacted via email hello@greedyme.co.za or on 082 773 8807.