Going to the hairdresser and be treated by the gayest guy in the Chelsea village is one of the thing I like the most in my ‘sciura’ style life. (see https://casamia-inlondon.com/2013/01/28/lemoncake/ for “sciura style”).

Actually he is not the gayest guy I have ever met but he is for sure the coolest gay guy I happened to meet, in my never ending search for my gay-best-friend. I don’t want to sound somewhat socially incorrect, but I really love their colourful approach to life – predicted as this might sound.

Is there anything more colourful and full of character than someone able to be very professional in his job, always attentive with clients and super quick in managing the whole salon (he is also the salon manager, indeed) and at the same time doing dancing performances (!!) at the Glastonbury Music Festival showing off all his fantastic tattoos to the audience!? Or more colourful than going on holidays to the vibrant island of Ibiza but also going solo on vacation – off season – just for the sake of reading a book and being mindful…  !!? I think there is not.

It’s a bit like my chestnut tart, that’s why I was thinking of it, very simple and to a certain extent looking boring, but full of flavour and quite interesting when you try it.

Chestnut Tart

Chestnut Tart

Ingredients (for 4pp).

Shortcrust pastry

125 gr plain flour

75 gr butter

50 gr caster sugar

40 gr ground hazelnuts

2 egg yolks

pinch of salt

Chestnut Compote

125 gr peeled chestnuts

100 gr whole milk

100 gr water

40 gr icing sugar

30 gr butter

25 gr ground almonds

2 egg yolks

1/2 vanilla pod

pinch of salt

icing sugar for dusting

Method

Turn your oven on at 180°.

Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Mix the sugar, the yolks and the ground hazelnut all together and then quickly add all this to the flour/butter mixture.

Try to be confident and bring the pastry together as quickly as you can – don’t knead it too much or the heat from your hands will melt the butter and then it’s going to be a mess! 🙂

Then cling film it and rest  it for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

When the dough has rested, roll out the pastry until the dough is around 4 mm thick and line the 20″ tart ring.

Blind bake it for around 20 minutes, until the pastry is cooked but not coloured.

To see what is blind baking see this post http://casamia-blog.com/2013/03/06/chocolate-and-pears-tart/).

Blind Baking

in the meanwhile, prepare the chestnut compote.

Boil the peeled chestnuts with the milk and the water, the vanilla seed and a pinch of salt, for approximately 20 minutes.

Leave it aside to cool down.

Cream the butter and the icing sugar and then add the ground almonds.

Add the egg yolks to this mixture and mix thoroughly.

Once the chestnut compote has cooled down, blend it in a food processor and add the almonds mixture all together.

Add this compote to the empty tart and keep baking the chestnut tart for another 30 minutes.

Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Categories: After Meal time Recipes, Breakfast and Tea time Recipes, Sweets, Sweets, after meal easy recipes, Sweets, ampm easy recipes

Tags: Chestnuts,, Easy Recipe,, Morning Time Dessert,, Tea Time Dessert,