Frangipane, Persimmon and Grape Tart
Here is the Frangipane, Persimmon & Grape Tart recipe that I made on Nadiya Hussain’s new baking show ‘Nadiya Bakes’. Persimmons are a delicious, unique tasting fruit with a bright orange edible skin and striking flesh, this makes for a very eye-catching and insta-grammable tart both pre and post bake. When making this recipe make sure to use the riper fruits for the persimmon butter, reserving any firmer fruits for slicing and arranging on to the frangipane.
The honey sweetness from the fruit works really well with the baked grapes, their burst of flavour along with the sliced persimmon, sweet almond paste and crisp buttery pastry is wonderful. Serve warm with a big dollop of cream and enjoy!
Such a great treat for these colder months. I hope you’ll love it.
This recipe is taken from my book The Pastry School
📷Pete Cassidy
Make the pastry following the method below. After resting, line the tin with the pastry, blind bake and then trim. Leave the baked pastry case in the tin for later. Any spare pastry can be cut into shapes and used to make decorations later.
To make the persimmon butter, place the chopped fruit in a pan with the sugar and vanilla and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the clementine juice and continue to simmer for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When thick, add the butter, stir well, then remove from the heat and allow to cool in a bowl. Blitz to a smooth paste with a food blender, then set to one side.
To make the frangipane, place the soft butter into the bowl of a freestanding mixer (or mix by hand), along with the caster (superfine) sugar. Attach the paddle and beat for 1 minute. Add the ground almonds and eggs alternately in three consecutive bursts, beating continuously between additions. Combine well.
Add a layer of persimmon butter to the tart case, spreading it out evenly. Top that with a generous layer of frangipane, until the case is two-thirds full. Store any remaining persimmon butter and frangipane in the fridge for another use. The persimmon butter will last for a week in the fridge, and the frangipane will last for 5 days.
Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan (325ºF), Gas Mark 3. To decorate the tart, prepare the remaining persimmons by removing the leaves and cutting the fruits in half vertically. Using either a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice each half across the width to 1mm (or as thinly as possible). Also have the grape halves and any cut pastry shapes to hand. Arrange the fruit in the frangipane in a decorative manner using any pastry shapes for added decoration. If pastry décor is used, brush each piece with egg wash prior to baking. Sprinkle a fine layer of caster (superfine) sugar over the entire surface, cover with kitchen foil and bake in the oven for up to 2 hours. I find baking for a longer spell, underneath foil, helps to intensify the fruit flavour and prevents any excessive colouring to the edges. Do check the tart occasionally and remove the foil towards the end of baking, to allow the pastry to colour.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the tin before removing and slicing. Serve warm or cold – with cream, if you like.
Serves 8
Using a circular, loose-bottomed tart tin measuring 23 x 2.5cm (9 in x 1 in) available here
1 quantity Sweet Shortcrust pastry (see below)
egg wash
For the persimmon butter
6 ripe persimmons, topped, peeled and cut into 1cm (½ in) cubes
100g (3 ½ oz / ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
juice of 2 clementines
40g (1 ½ oz / 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
For the frangipane
75g (2 ¾ oz / ⅓ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
75g (2 ¾ oz / 6 tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar
75g (2 ¾ oz) ground almonds
75g (2 ¾ oz) eggs (shelled weight), lightly beaten
To decorate
6 persimmons, firm not overly ripe
large handful of black seedless grapes, halved
cut-out pastry decorations
To finish
caster (superfine) sugar, for sprinkling
The Pastry
Makes 1 Quantity
230g (8oz/1¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
125g (4½oz/½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes, no need to be precise
50g (1¾oz/heaping 1/3 cup ) icing (powdered) sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
For egg wash – if and when the recipe calls for it
1 egg yolk
boiling water
Place the flour and butter into the bowl of a freestanding mixer and attach the paddle beater. Mix on a medium speed until the butter has been incorporated into the flour and resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing (powdered) sugar and mix for a few seconds before adding the egg yolk and milk. Continue to mix until a cohesive dough forms – this should only take 30–60 seconds, depending on your mixer. Turn out the pastry onto a work surface – there’s no need for more flour – and bring it swiftly together with your hands, without overworking it.
Lay out a long sheet of cling film and place the dough on one half. Flatten the pastry with the palms of your hands, then fold the remaining cling film over the top, fully encasing the dough. Roll out swiftly between the cling film to an approximate depth of 5mm (¼in), trying your best to keep it in a circular shape. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before using.
After resting, roll out between two sheets of non-stick baking paper – there’s no need for more flour – and use according to the relevant recipe instructions.