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Did You Try Making: Yossy Arefi’s Quince and Frangipane Tarts

Issue 02
quince tartlets-1
Photo Source: Apt. 2b Baking Co

Quince and Frangipane Tartlets from our contributing blogger, Yossy, at Apt. 2b Baking CoCountlan Issue 02

Poached Quince
Recipe makes enough for the tarts, plus some extra for snacking
5 cups (1.2L) water
2 cups (473g) sugar
1/2 lemon, cut into 1/4” wedges
1/2 vanilla bean or 1t vanilla extract
4 medium quince, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges (each)

Instructions:
Over medium heat, combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon, vanilla bean and quince and stir gently to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook the quince gently until they are soft and fork tender, but not mushy. This can take from 20-40 minutes depending on how ripe your quince are and how thickly they are sliced. Store the quince in their syrup until you are ready to use them. Serve the extra with yogurt or ice cream, or enjoy them as they are.

Pate Sable, Sweet Tart Dough for one, 9” tart or six, 4” tartlets
1 ½ cups (355g) flour
½ cup (118g) confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5g) salt
9 tablespoons (133g) cold, cubed butter
1 egg yolk (save the white for the frangipane)

Instructions:
In the bowl of a food processor or with a pastry blender, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Then, add the yolk and pulse until the mixture begins to clump a bit. Lightly butter your tart pan or pans and gently press the crumbly dough into the pan. Make sure to evenly coat the bottom and the sides while being careful to not compact the dough too much. You may have a bit of extra dough, save it just in case you have to repair any cracks later on. Freeze the tart shell for 30 min. Preheat your oven to 375º and bake the tart shell or shells until it is lightly golden, repair any cracks that may have formed with your leftover dough. Cool the shell or shells on a rack while you prepare the rest of the tart.

Frangipane, Almond Filling
6 tablespoons (89g) soft butter
⅔ cups (158g) sugar
¾ cups (177g) ground, blanched almonds
1 egg plus one egg white
2 teaspoons (10g) flour
1 teaspoons (5g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
A pinch of salt

Instructions:

In the bowl of the food processor, combine the butter and sugar and pulse until smooth. Add the almonds and blend. Then add the flour and cornstarch followed by the egg and egg white and finally the extracts and salt. Mix until just combined.

To assemble:

Spread the frangipane into the baked and cooled tart shell or shells, it should come up just below the edge of the shell. Remove the wedges of quince from their poaching liquid and lightly dry them on a paper towel. If you are making mini tarts, I suggest slicing the wedges even thinner before placing them on top of the frangipane in a decorative pattern. If you are making one large tart, arrange the quince wedges in a decorative pattern on top of the frangipane, you will need about two quince for this. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350º oven until the crust and frangipane are golden and set, 20-30min for tartlets and 45-50min for a large tart. Cool on a wire rack and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Yossy’s Notes:
– I always grind the almonds for the frangipane in the food processor before making the dough and I don’t bother washing out the bowl in between recipes. A little ground almond residue won’t hurt the crust at all and then get this, I make the frangipane in the same bowl without washing it. So now you know my little secret, I hate doing dishes in my teeny tiny sink.

-This recipe is also fantastic with poached pears instead of quince-

Yossy always has lots of terrific recipes and inspirational photography on her blog, so be sure to check her out. To read our interview with Yossy, click here to be redirected to Countlan Issue 02.

If Your Making One Recipe with Frangipane, You Might As Well Make Two:

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