GLUTEN-FREE CARAMEL ALMOND BUCKWHEAT TART
Most of our recipes for pastry - and we do have a few of them on the blog – are made with a blend of flours that work together to replicate the characteristics of wheat flour.
This one is unusual because it uses only buckwheat flour, along with the usual butter, sugar, egg, etc.
Whether it’s serendipity, chemistry or both, the buckwheat flour behaves beautifully, just like wheat.
It holds together well after minimal kneading and rolls out very nicely too.
It makes a lovely base you could easily use for a fruit tart or other family favourite.
And of course, it’s naturally gluten-free. No wheat to be seen.
Jan
CARAMEL ALMOND BUCKWHEAT TART
Serves 8
Buckwheat Pastry
185 gm buckwheat flour
60 gm icing sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
110 gm unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
Frangipane Filling
150 gm unsalted butter, softened
115 gm caster sugar (raw if you have it)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 large eggs
150 gm blanched ground almonds
¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Caramel Almond Topping
80 gm flaked almonds
50 gm unsalted butter
50 gm muscovado (or light brown) sugar
40 ml double cream
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Put the flour, icing sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse briefly until it begins to clump. If the mixture is crumbly add a tablespoon of cold water and pulse again.
Turn pastry onto a lightly floured surface and knead it quickly to bring it together. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours until firm.
Roll dough into a large circle about 3 - 4mm thick and line a 22 - 23cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin.
Press the pastry firmly into all the recesses and use a sharp knife to trim the excess. Prick the base a few times with a fork, then chill again for 30 minutes until firm.
Heat the oven to 180°C. Line the pastry case with foil, fill with baking beans or rice, and blind bake for 25 minutes.
Take out the beans and foil and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes, until the base is cooked through. (If the edges look like they’re browning too much cover loosely with foil.)
Remove from the oven and set aside while making the filling.
Frangipane Filling
Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extract until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then fold through the ground almonds and salt.
Spoon the filling into the pastry case and bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until the frangipane is just set.
Caramel Almond Topping
While the filling is cooking, toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan for a few minutes, moving them regularly until they start to brown. Set aside.
Put the butter, sugar, cream and salt into a small saucepan and heat, stirring until the butter melts.
When the filling is cooked and the tart is removed from the oven, bring the caramel mixture to the boil. Add the toasted almonds and stir well to combine. Simmer for a minute then remove from the heat.
Carefully distribute the almonds on top of the filling, spreading them evenly across the surface.
Return tart to the oven for another 8 minutes, then leave to cool completely before serving with sweetened cream or ice cream.