Gluten-free apricot tart with crushed meringue
Phil Vickery's in the kitchen cooking up a tasty gluten free apricot tart with help from actress Caroline Quentin.
Makes: 1x20cm tart
A great summer treat, any fruit will work well, just pile high and top with crushed meringue and drizzle over the yoghurt dressing. For best results remove from the fridge 30 minutes before eating, so the fruit is not stone cold.
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus chillingCooking time: 25 minutes for the pastry baseFreezer: not suitable
For the base
225g gluten-free flour mix - see below1 level tsp xanthan gum1tbsp caster sugar100g Stork margarine1 large egg, beaten2tbsp cold water
For the top
250g fresh, thick custard, ready to eat200g mascarpone cream cheese250g fresh apricots, sliced50g meringues, crushed, large pieces
To make the pastry case: preheat the oven to 180°C gas 4. Grease and line a deep, 20cm fluted flan tin with a removable base. Mix the flour with the xanthan gum and sugar and then add the margarine, rubbing in until your mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Reserve a little of the egg to brush the pastry case with during baking and add the rest of the egg to your mixture, along with 1 tbsp water and mix well to make dough.
Keep an eye on the texture; you may need to add another tablespoon of water so it’s nice and soft.
To bake blind: roll out the dough to a thick round, about 22cm wide, lift carefully into your tin and press into the base and up the sides.
Shape the pastry into the sides and top edge with your thumb, not too thin. Line with a layer of baking parchment and baking ‘beans’ and then bake blind for 15 minutes.
Carefully lift out the parchment with the baking beans, brush the pastry case, base and sides, with beaten egg and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
For the filling: beat the custard and the mascarpone using a hand held electric whisk. Spread the custard mixture into the cooked pastry base.
Top with the sliced apricots. Pile the crushed meringues on the top. Chill the tart for minimum half an hour.
Serve a slice chilled, with a separate sauce made from natural yogurt, sweetened with a little thick, dark maple syrup. If you don’t have time to make the pastry case, just combine all the ingredients for the topping mixture and make a fantastic mint version of Eton Mess.
Gluten-free flour mix
Makes: 1 kg
700g fine white rice flour200g potato flour100g tapioca starch or flour
Mix all the flours together very thoroughly or put into a food processor and pulse until mixed, if yours has a large enough capacity.
Store in an airtight container.