Recipe for Damson & Bramley Apple Tart

The pastry is made by the creaming method so people who are convinced that they suffer from ‘hot hands’ don’t have to worry about rubbing in the butter.

It is quite simply the best pie pastry. Individual tarts may also be made.

Serves 8-12

Break all the Rules Pastry:

225g (8oz) butter

50g (2oz) castor sugar

2 eggs, free range and organic

350g (12oz) white flour, preferably unbleached

Filling:

700g (1½lb) Bramley Seedling cooking apples

225g (½lb) or more wild Damsons

150g (5oz) sugar

Egg wash, made with one beaten egg and a dash of milk

Castor sugar for sprinkling

To Serve:

Softly whipped cream Barbados sugar (soft dark brown sugar, not Muscovado)

1 x 18cm (7 inch) x 30.5cm (12 inch) x 2.5cm (1 inch) deep or 1 x 23cm (9 inch) round tin or 1 x 23cm (9 inch) square.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

First make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together by hand or in a food mixer (no need to over cream). Add the eggs and beat for several minutes. Reduce speed and mix in the flour. Turn out onto a piece of floured greaseproof paper, flatten into a round wrap and chill. This pastry needs to be chilled for at least one hour, otherwise it is difficult to handle.

Having said that, I have on occasions bunged all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz bang, made the pastry in a matter of seconds and rolled it out minutes later, albeit with a certain amount of difficulty. Even if it does break a little it responds very well to being patched and appears flawless and golden when it is fully baked.

To make the tart, roll out the pastry 5mm (¼ inch) thick approximately, and use about two thirds of it to line a suitable tin. Peel, quarter and dice the apples into the tart, top with Damsons (don’t remove stones). Sprinkle with sugar. Cover with a lid of pastry, seal edges, decorate with pastry leaves, egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the apples are tender, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. When cooked cut into squares, sprinkle lightly with castor sugar and serve with softly whipped cream and Barbados sugar.

Rhubarb Tart

Make in exactly the same way, but use approx. 900g (2lb) sliced red rhubarb (about ½ inch thick) and approximately 370-400g (13oz-14oz) sugar.