“The pastry cabinet at your local café has nothing on these tasty tarts,” says Curtis Stone. “Slices of fresh persimmon are arranged over the batter and topped with a candied ginger crumble.”Â
Ingredients
Sweet pastry
Ginger crumble
Method
Main
1.For sweet pastry, mix flour, icing sugar and butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low-medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized lumps of butter remaining (4-5 minutes). Add egg, mix until dough comes together, then divide in half, form each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour to rest. Pastry can be made 2 weeks ahead and frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator before using.
2.Roll each piece of pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to 3mm thick and place in freezer until firm (5 minutes). Cut out three 16cm-diameter rounds from each piece of pastry and line six 12cm-diameter loose-bottomed tart tins, allowing pastry to overhang the sides and gently lifting and coaxing the pastry into corners. Trim excess pastry and freeze until firm (10-15 minutes).
3.Meanwhile, pulse pistachios with sugar, flour and ¼ tsp salt in a food processor until finely ground, then add egg, eggwhite and vanilla, and process until just combined. Add butter, process until smooth, scrape down sides and bottom of processor, and mix until blended. Cover batter and refrigerate until slightly firm (30 minutes).
4.For ginger crumble, finely grind biscuits in a food processor, then add flour, sugar and butter, and pulse until clumps form. Add crystallised ginger, pulse just until ginger is mixed through, then spread on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze until firm (10-15 minutes).
5.Preheat oven to 160C. Divide pistachio mixture evenly among tart cases, smooth tops and arrange persimmon slices on top, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with crumble, place on a baking tray, and bake until pastry is golden and centres are firm to touch (25-30 minutes). Cool on a wire rack (30 minutes), then serve dusted with icing sugar and topped with extra persimmon slices and pistachio slivers.
Note Sweet persimmons, also known as fuyu, are rounder and larger than older varieties; they’re available from select greengrocers. Â
Notes