A recipe by Pierre Hermé: Quetsche tart

Instructions

Shortcrust pastry: 

With a mixer

1. Sift the flour into a bowl.
2. Place the butter, salt and sugar in a mixer fitted with a plastic blade; add the egg yolk and milk. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the flour.
4. Blend, and as soon as the dough forms a ball, stop the blender.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

By hand

1. Cut the butter into small pieces in a bowl. Crush the pieces with a wooden spatula to soften them, stirring quickly.
2. In a bowl, mix together the milk, salt and sugar, then drizzle over the butter, stirring regularly.
3. Add the egg yolk.
4. Sift the flour over a bowl.
5. Stir it into the butter several times.
6. Knead the dough very quickly.
7. Place the dough on your floured work surface. Using the palm of your hand, flatten the dough by pushing it in front of you. Gather it into a ball and repeat the same operation. Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it slightly. Wrap it in cling film.
8. Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
9. Preheat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 6).
10. Roll out the shortcrust pastry in a pastry ring 24 cm in diameter and 3 cm high.
11. Prick with a fork and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
12. Then cover the pastry with a sheet of greaseproof paper and garnish with dried beans. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and beans. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Tips and advice: You can either use the dough immediately after resting, keep it in the fridge for 2 days, or freeze it in tightly-wrapped portions. Before using, let it defrost slowly in the fridge. Spread the thawed dough but do not rework it, as this will cause it to lose its melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Spoon biscuits: 

1. Preheat your oven to 230°C (gas mark 7-8).
2. Sift together the flour and cornflour.
3. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar until stiff.
4. Pour the yolks into the egg whites; mix gently for a few seconds.
5. Fold in the flour and cornflour, lifting the mixture with a spatula.
6. Spread the sponge cake on a baking tray lined with silicone paper, then place in the oven and bake for around 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
7. Leave to dry at room temperature, then blend very finely.

Cinnamon sugar: 

1. Mix the ingredients together.

Assembly and finishing: 

1. Preheat your fan oven to 160°C (th. 5).
2. Sprinkle the pre-baked tart base with approximately 50 g of dried biscuit spoon powder.
3. Cut the quetsches in half and remove the stone; arrange them upright on the tart base, holding them as tightly as possible.
4. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar, place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
5. Leave to cool to room temperature.
6. Brush the apricot jam or apple jelly around the edge of the tart, then cover completely with cinnamon sugar.
7. Place the tart on a serving dish and keep at room temperature.
8. Before serving, sprinkle the tart with cinnamon sugar.