Plum & Elderberry Curd Tartlets
Tart, rich, sweet, and creamy plum & elderberry curd in a shortcrust pastry, topped with vanilla whipped cream and edible flowers to seal the deal.
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Tart, rich, sweet, and creamy plum & elderberry curd in a shortcrust pastry, topped with vanilla whipped cream and edible flowers to seal the deal.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 tbsp powdered sugar
pinch salt
5 ounces unsalted butter, diced & chilled
4-6 tbsp ice water
3 egg yolks
1 cup damson plums
3 tbsp elderberry juice (see below)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 ounce cold butter, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Combine flours, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter, using your hands or two knives, until mixture resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix gently just until mixture starts to come together and form a shaggy mass. Knead lightly into a ball, flattening slightly.
3. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400 F.
5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until fairly thin, about 1/8" thick. Cut rounds using a jar or biscuit cutter that is slightly larger than your muffin molds. I used a large 2 3/4" biscuit cutter for my mini muffin tin. Press dough rounds into tin.
6. Line each with parchment paper or mini muffin liners and fill with pie weights or beans. Chill 15 minutes in fridge.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden around edges; remove parchment and weights and bake until fully cooked, about another 4-5 minutes. Cool completely.
1. First make the plum puree and elderberry juice. Place plums in a stainless steel pot with a little bit of water to prevent scorching. Cook until the fruit breaks down, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove from pan, puree in a food processor, and strain through a sieve to remove skins. You need 1 cup of puree for this recipe.
3. For the berries, put about one pound (3 hefty cups) into a pot with a little water and cook until broken down, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour berries into a jelly bag and allow to sit for an hour or so, until all juice has been removed. You need 1/4 cup of juice for this recipe.
5. In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together egg yolks, plum puree, elder juice, sugar, and lemon juice. Fill a pot with about an inch of water and bring it to simmering. Place bowl of curd mix on top.
6. Cook, whisking frequently, until the curd thickens, about 20 minutes. It should hold its shape on a spoon. Remove from stove, whisk in butter, and then strain.
7. Chill immediately and allow to completely cool.
Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in a pint jar. Screw on lid and shake until very soft peaks form. Alternatively, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl.
1. Remove crusts from muffin tin.
2. Pipe or spoon curd into cooled shortcrust cups.
3. Dollop with whipped cream. Decorate with edible flowers if desired and serve immediately.
Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.
