I was very excited for this weeks challenge of pies or tarts on Bake Off because I love pastries and I really enjoy making them. I find pastry infinitely easier to work with than bread so I was definitely full-steam-ahead for the challenge. If you missed last week’s instalment of sticky toffee pudding you should go catch up – there was a lot of drama, I’m sad to say!
I took part in this week’s signature bake. I really wanted to do the Showstopper Challenge of baking three tiered pies, but I honestly couldn’t justify baking three pies.
(Adapted from Ruby Tandoh’s recipe.)
Ingredients:
(For crust)
90 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
175 g plain flour
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
1 tablespoon of milk
(For filling)
100 g unsalted butter, softened
100 g of caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 large egg
100 g of pistachios, finely ground
65 g of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons of cherry jam
200 g pitted cherries
Instructions:
For the crust, add your cubed butter to your flour. Then rub the butter into the flour with your fingers, until no more visible chunks remain. Most of the flour should be coated with butter. Then add your salt and sugar. Beat together the egg yolk and milk with a fork before adding it into your crust pastry. Cut the pastry into small chunks with a knife to mix it and then finish it by quickly bringing it fully together with your hands before pressing it into a flat disc, wrapping it in plastic wrap, and refrigerating it for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes is up, remove your chilled pastry from the fridge and roll it out between two pieces of floured baking paper. Roll it large enough to cover the bottom and sides of your tart pan. Carefully place your pastry into your pan, pressing it in to all the corners without stretching the pastry at all. Then put your tart pastry into the freezer for 15 minutes. While this is occurring, preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F).
When you take your pastry out of the freezer, prick it gently all over the bottom with a fork. Then scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment then smooth it out again. Set it inside your pastry and then fill it with baking weights. (Personally, I don’t own baking weights so I just fill it with beans. It does the same thing.) Put your pastry in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes carefully remove the weights and the baking parchment, lower the oven temperature to 180 C (350 F) and bake for a further 5 minutes.
While your pastry is in the oven, make your filling. Cream together the butter and sugar. Then stir in the vanilla and egg. Lastly mix in the pistachio, flour, baking powder and salt.
Take your pastry out of the oven and spread the bottom of your tart with the cherry jam. Then pour in your pistachio filling and spread it over your tart evenly. Place your cherries firmly into the tart and then bake for 35-45 minutes, then carefully remove your tart from the tin.
I look silly on tip toes, but I had to to get the leverage to press the butter into the flour for the crust.
One of my fellow contestants was also very proud of her pastry.
There’s no jealousy here; everyone in the Bake Off tent are best friends!
The lovely Mrs. Berry comes in to judge yet again. (Thanks for making time in your busy schedule, Mary Berry!)
The best part about Bake Off is that we support each other no matter what!
A slice of deliciousness!
Beautiful!
I was pretty proud of my bake!
And in case you don’t follow me on Instagram or Twitter, I’m still ecstatic that this actually happened!
Stay tuned next week for European Cakes!
