Almond Melon Tart Recipes

MR. D.'S STRAWBERRY -ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is the size of small peas. Add the water and pulse until the dough barely begins to come together. Press the dough together with your hands, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Fit it into a 9-inch quiche dish. Line the dish with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or raw beans and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for 2 minutes more. Set aside.
• Place the almond paste and butter in a food processor and process until smooth. Mix in the flour, sugar and salt. Add the egg and vanilla and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the tart shell, spread evenly and bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool.
• Make a ring of strawberries around the edge of the dish, leaning the cut side of the berries up against the edge. Repeat, making concentric circles until the tart is covered. Just before serving, sift confectioners' sugar over the top. Cut into wedges and serve.

PAN-BAKED LEMON-ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine eggs, sugar, salt, ground almonds, cream, sliced almonds, lemon zest and juice.
• Melt butter in an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over low heat; when foam has subsided, add almond mixture to pan, tilting pan to distribute batter evenly. Continue to cook tart on stovetop until edges just begin to set, then put pan in oven and finish cooking, about 10 to 15 minutes more.
• When tart is done, put it in broiler for about a minute or until just golden on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and sliced almonds. Serve.

LEMON TART WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour, almonds, sugar, butter, extract and salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until blended. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture forms a soft dough. , Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, peel and salt until blended. Add butter; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour into crust., Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

WATERCRESS, MELON AND ALMOND SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, sugar, and ginger. Gradually add oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add watercress, watermelon, and cantaloupe to dressing and toss to coat. Transfer salad to plates, sprinkle with sliced almonds and serve immediately.

LEMON CURD TART WITH CANDIED ALMOND TOPPING

Steps:

• To make the curd, place the eggs and the sugar in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan and whisk until thickened and light in color. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Place over low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes; do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Let cool. Refrigerate until cold.
• To make the crust, place the almonds, sugar and zest in a food processor and process until ground. Add the flour and salt and pulse just to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together the egg yolk, water and almond extract. Add to the flour mixture and process just until the mixture starts to come together. Press into a bowl, flatten, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and fit into a 10-inch quiche dish. Line with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer. Cool.
• To make the topping, lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Lightly butter a baking sheet. Combine the sugar and zest in a bowl. Toss the almonds in the egg whites, drain and toss them in the sugar. Spread out on the baking sheet and bake until the almonds are dried, about 30 minutes, stirring twice. Let cool.
• Spoon the lemon curd into the pastry shell and top with the sugared almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, sift a little confectioners' sugar over the top and cut tart into wedges.