IMBB XVII: Earl Gray infused apricots with cardamon pastry cream tart

 

Let's just tell it how it is. Italian cuisine and tea just don't mix. In Espresso-land offering your guests a cuppa, be it even a lowly but ever so strong builders' tea, will inevitably mark you as either: a) a weird foreigner who still has not understood Italians -if you had you would have those espresso cups ready- , b) someone suffering from gastrointestinal problems, or c) a snooty intellectual snob. One of them will probably hit the spot. The average Italian household or neighborhood bar usually will have a few filter bags laying in the cupboard, but better not ask for the expiry date. Should you should be so brave to ask for a cup of tea prepare to drink it with lemon: milk and tea are viewed with suspicion.

Between you and me, I've always liked my tea, Darjeeling if possible, and yes, maybe I am an intellectual snob after all.

No wonder therefore that there are simply no chances of finding a traditional Italian recipe based on tea. Time to get creative. For a while had been thinking about Herme's Earl Gray Scented Apricots Packets from his book Desserts by Pierre Herme. A nice recipe worthy of an IMBB entry yet, being somewhat bored with simply following recipes from books, I decided to use the idea behind the dessert for something more elaborate. I went for a tart and decided to match the apricots with a spiced cream, a simple pastry cream in which I would substitute the usual vanilla with something a bit more exciting. I ended up picking green cardamom in part because I remembered it is often used in sweets, but also because I remembered a particularly nice cardamom scented tea I had a few years ago. The combination worked nicely, also thanks to the not too overpowering cardamom taste.

Earl Gray scented Apricots and Cardamom cream Tart

1 fully baked 24 cm tart shell, made following your favorite recipe. I've been using Hermé's buttery Sweet Tart Dough for a number of sweets recently and I still have to find another recipe I like as much. (For a description of Hermé's Sweet Tart Dough recipe have a look at Keiko's Blog, Nordljus.

(optional in case you want to keep the tart a bit longer and would prefer to stop the shell going soft from the wet filling) Roll out 70-100 g of marzipan (helping yourself with a little flour) till you have a circle which will be as wide as the tart shell. Set aside.

1 recipe pastry cream made substituting the vanilla with three green cardamoms at room temperature.

the Earl Gray scented Apricots:

4 ripe apricots, cut into eighths
2 Ts sugar
2 Ts lemon juice
2 pinches of Earl Gray tea leaves
2 pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Cut a piece of foil big enough to hold all the apricots on one layer and fold over and place it on a baking sheet. Lay the apricots on top, sprinkle with sugar, lemon, tea leaves and pepper. Fold the foil over the apricots and seal the packet. Bake in a 180°C pre-warmed oven for 8 minutes. Let cool.

(Baker's perk: once done you'll get quite a bit of apricot cooking "juices" left in the pocket. You won't need them for the tart, but don't throw them away. Rather sieve the liquid, dilute with iced water to taste and enjoy: tastes like a delicious apricot scented ice tea.)

To assemble:

If using, lay the marzipan sheet in the tart. Arrange the apricots on top of that in circles. Carefully pour enough pastry cream over the apricots till they are almost completely covered by the cardamom cream. Refrigerate at least two hours and serve. If you wish you could glaze the top with apricot glaze, clear apple jelly or gelatin. Enjoy!

Comments

[clare eats]

YAY!
That looks so good alberto!
Guess what I received today? *grin*

[Alberto]

That was quick!

[clare eats]

Yep!!!
kinda funny huh? AND it wasn't opened either!!!

Can't wait to see how that tart turns out!

[Becks & Posh]

that sounds scrumptious. Some of my favorite things all in one tart.

[Cathy]

Alberto - Your photo is just gorgeous and the tart sounds amazing. I love what you did with the tea(?) and the spoon!

[Alberto]

Sam, Cathy, thank you for the kind words, happy you like the tart. The spoon decoration is done with cocoa, just to add a touch of color.

[keiko]

Welcom back Alberto - and what a gorgeous looking tart! I think I missed (again) the apricots recipe in his book - it must be delicious with tea and cardamoms, I can't wait to try it out!

[boo_licious]

Lovely combination and those apricots look so beautiful. I like that spoon effect you did with the cocoa powder on the plate too.

[Petra]

Great idea and a beautiful photo!

[savina]

oh, dear, I'd never really stopped to think about it but what you say about Italians and tea is so true, and it really had me laughing! Will try this tart and keep in mind its interesting ideas (cardamom cream and tea).

[Alberto]

Keiko, definitely try the apricot packets. They're so easy and quick, and still taste like an "important" dessert. I'll definitely be keeping them in mind next time I have guests.

boo_licious, than you. Seeing t is so popular, I guess I'll be using the spoon trick more often :-)

Petra, danke!

Savina, your comment was really appreciated. I was sliglthly afraid of what another italian might reply so I'm happy to know I#m not the only one who sees it this way.