Guilty pleasures

Ok Ok, it's gotten to this. Last week I had deemed I just wasn't going to finish this post, I had even crossed it of my "Must post" list. But I have the guilts, I promised.

So here it is.

My Pick for February (Erhh!) recipes

Frangipane, fig and raspberry tart

This tart is actually quite quick and easy to make. I used some pre-made pastry that I blind baked flat onto a tray, like a square pizza but you could do it a bit more conventionally if you like with pretty fluted edges in a tart pan.

I just made this up as I went along from the idea of a basic fruit tart with a moist frangipane base.

Figs - the honey and black styles look great together
Raspberries
slivered almonds -untoasted

Frangipane
100g butter
120g caster sugar
200g almond meal (ground almonds)
2 eggs
4 tbsp brandy or a matching fruit liqueur - I used half brandy and half Chambord (a French wild raspberry liqueur)

To make the frangipane
Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the almond meal, eggs and brandy

To make the tart
Blind bake* your pastry base
Spread the frangipane over the base of the tart and then decorate with the figs and raspberries. I liked the look of the figs so left them chunky in quarters but you could also play around and slice then and make a stylised arrangement.
Sprinkle with the slivered almonds and bake in a moderate oven until golden brown and the fruit has started to seep a little.
Serve with a dollop of double cream, perhaps whipped with some extra Chambord

*Blind baking is were you cook off the pastry before the filling is put on top, this ensures that it is cooked though and crispy at the same time as the filling. Just simply line the chilled pastry with baking paper and top with some rice or dried beans, so as to weigh the pastry down. Bake in a moderate oven until it is light brown. Remove the baking paper and rice and you are ready to go.

Fig and star anise jam (or is it more like compote?)
Star anise is a heady, fragrant spice that is an elegant match with sweet honey figs. I'm not sure exactly what to call this, I didn't use a thermometer or anything chefy, I just cooked it until the consistency was right. I deliberately left the fruit quiet large, as I like my jam chunky, I want to actually see the fruit.

Figs - as many as you can handle
raw sugar - a third of the weight of the figs
two star anise wheels
lemon zest and juice - try about half a lemon per kg of figs

Cut the figs into quarters or eights
Toss with sugar, star anise and zest in a large saucepan
Gently bring the figs to a simmer with the lid on, discard the star anise
Remove the lid and cook without stirring until it is a little pulpy and the juice is thick and jammy
Add the half the lemon juice and taste, its should be sweet but with a slight tang and a fragrant hint of the anise
Spoon into a sterilised jar and chill

We have nearly finished the figs now. I have enjoyed them on crumpets with some goats curd, the sweet and savoury combo made me think of dessert, yet this is a perfectly healthy breakfast.

Fortunately, I am still seeing figs at my local grocer, so there is plenty of time to enjoy them in these ways or hundreds of others.
What a relief, I'll sleep easier tonight having these figs off my mind.