Gooseberry curd tart
6 to 8 servings
Base:
- 3 dl spelt flour
- 100 g cold butter
- 1 egg
- 0,5 dl enrefined cane sugar
- pinch of salt
First make the dough. Mix four, sugar and salt. Add cold diced butter and work the mixture until it resembles sand. Add one egg and knead until a smooth dough forms. If the mixture is too dry add some cold water. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cover the sides and base of a 20-22 cm springform cake tin in a thin layer of dough. Place a sheet of greaseproof paper and baking weights (you can substitute with dried peas) on top of the dough. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 10 minutes, until the base is dry, but not golden. Remove the weight and bake for additional 10 minutes. Allow the base to cool.
Gooseberry curd:
- 150 g slightly mashed or halved gooseberries
- 1 dl sugar
- 1 lemon (juiced and zested)
- 6 egg yolks
- 150 g butter
Place the gooseberries in a pot over medium heat with 2-3 tbls water. Allow to boil for 6-7 minutes, until the gooseberries have softened. Remove from the stove and strain. Return the strained mixture into the pot and add sugar, lemon juice, zest and egg yolks. Mix and simmer on low heat (or in a bain marie) until the mix thickens. Be careful when heating directly on the stove, the eggs can easily turn into an omelette! Add diced butter in parts and mix it in thoroughly before adding the next lot. Simmer for few more minutes and remove from heat. For a smoother curd strain the mixture again.
Pour the curd onto the baked base and refrigerate for about 6 hours.
Fried meadowsweet blooms:
- 7-8 meadowsweet blooms, divided into smaller clusters
- 1 sl corn starch
- 2 sl spelt flour
- oil for frying
- powdered sugar
To make the batter, mix corn starch and flour with 3 tbls cold water. Heat the oil in a pot. To test the heat place a piece of bread in the pot, it should sizzle. Dip the blooms into batter and place in the pot right away. Fry for a couple of minutes, until the batter is golden. Drain excess oil on a piece of kitchen paper and dust with powdered sugar.
Decorate the cake with fried blooms right before serving.
The flavour is worth all the effort!