Honey Tart Recipes

HONEY BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place pastry shells on a baking sheet.
• Beat butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth and creamy; beat in brown sugar and honey. Beat egg, lemon juice, water, vanilla, and salt into butter mixture just until combined; stir in raisins. Fill tart shells 1/2-full with butter mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden, about 30 minutes.

HONEY SALTED MIXED NUT TART

Steps:

• Cube 8 tablespoons of the butter and place it in the freezer until it is very cold and almost frozen, about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pulse the flour, 1/2 cup of the mixed nuts, 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Pulse in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pulse in 2 tablespoons ice-cold water until the dough holds together when squeezed. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap (it will still be quite crumbly), form into a disk, cover in the plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Put the dough in a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press into an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pan with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the tart. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges of the crust begin turning golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights and continue baking until the crust is lightly brown and dry to the touch, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• While the crust bakes, make the filling: Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, honey and a pinch of salt in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and, stirring constantly, continue to boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. (If the crust has cooled, return it to the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.) Whisk the vanilla extract and beaten eggs into the filling until smooth. Arrange the remaining nuts (about 2 1/2 cups) in a flat layer in the tart shell and pour the filling over top.
• Bake until the edges are set but the center is still slightly loose, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

PINE NUT AND HONEY TART

Steps:

• You can make the pastry by hand or in the food processor. Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt and then rub or pulse in the flour and egg yolks. When the mixture has come together, looking like coarse breadcrumbs, add the milk or water. Gently pat together to form a small ball of dough. Wrap and let rest for an hour.
• Carefully cut thin slices of the pastry (or you can roll out if you prefer) and place in and around the bottom and sides of a 12-inch (30-centimeter) tart pan. Push the pastry together and level out and tidy up the sides. Cover and let to rest in the freezer for about 1 hour.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), and bake the pastry for around 15minutes until lightly golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
• While the pastry is in the oven, toast the pine nuts under the grill.
• Using a spatula, or a food processor, whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in your pine nuts, add the eggs 1 at a time, and then fold in the honey, flour, thyme, orange zest, and salt. Spoon into the tart shell and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Add a few uncooked pine nuts to the top of the mixture for decoration.
• Serve with caramelized figs (grilled with a little sugar), creme fraiche and a little lemon thyme.
• Serving suggestions: carmelized figs and creme fraiche.

LEMON HONEY BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend in melted butter. Fill tart shells halfway.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown, and filling is set.

HONEY BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• In a small bowl, pour boiling water over raisins and let stand 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry and set aside.
• Cream together: butter, sugar, salt and honey.
• Stir in eggs, vanilla and vinegar.
• Sprinkle 10 ml raisins into each tart shell.
• Pour in filling over until shells are 2/3 full.
• Bake for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until pastry is golden.

HONEY AND PINE NUT TART

Steps:

• Make the pasta frolla: Whisk cream, egg, yolk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a food processor to mix. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add cream mixture, and process until dough just comes together. Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate 1 disk until firm, about 1 hour; reserve remaining disk for another use. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw before using.)
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. (If dough is soft and sticky, transfer to a baking sheet and freeze until firm but pliable, about 5 minutes.) Cut out a 12-inch round, and fit it into a fluted 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (Patch any tears with scraps of dough.) Freeze while making the filling (or cover and freeze for up to 3 days).
• Make the filling: Bring sugar, honeys, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, whisking until sugar dissolves. Add butter, and whisk until incorporated. Transfer honey mixture to a medium bowl, and let cool for 30 minutes. Whisk in cream, egg, and yolk until incorporated.
• Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter pine nuts over bottom. Slowly pour filling over pine nuts, redistributing pine nuts evenly with your fingers. Bake until crust is golden brown and center is set but still slightly wobbly, about 1 hour. Transfer tart to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Remove from pan, and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE-HONEY TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Grind graham crackers with 3 tablespoons butter and honey in processor until fine crumbs form. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not up sides) of prepared tart pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Cool.
• Bring cream and lavender just to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Place chocolate in medium saucepan. Strain hot cream mixture into saucepan with chocolate. Stir over medium-low heat just until melted and smooth. Add cocoa powder and remaining 1 tablespoon butter; stir until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate mixture over crust in tart pan. Chill at least 45 minutes (chocolate will be slightly soft after 45 minutes and firm after 2 hours). Cut into wedges and serve. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Also called culinary lavender buds; available at many natural foods stores and some farmers' markets and from Dean and Deluca

HONEY, ORANGE & ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Put the flour in a food processor with a pinch of salt and the icing sugar, and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and orange zest, and pulse again until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and whizz until it just forms a ball, adding 1 tbsp cold water to bring together if you need to. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.
• Roll out the rested pastry to 5mm thick and use to line a 20cm fluted tart tin. Chill for 10 mins while you heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Lay a scrunched-up piece of baking parchment in the pastry tin and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 mins, then remove the paper and beans, and cook for 5 mins until dry and lightly golden. Trim any overhanging pastry with a serrated knife.
• While the pastry is cooling, make the frangipane. Beat together the butter, sugar and set honey until well combined. Add the ground almonds, orange zest, 2 tbsp of the juice, almond extract and eggs. Beat well to combine (don't worry if the frangipane starts to split slightly, it will be quite loose). Pour into the pastry case, and scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 25-30 mins until the filling is set, and springs back when lightly pressed.
• Warm the remaining orange juice and 2 tbsp honey in a small pan and simmer until it forms a light syrup. Brush over the cooling tart. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or ice cream.

FRESH CHEESE AND HONEY TART FROM SANTORINI

Steps:

• MAKE THE PASTRY: In a large bowl combine 2 cups flour with the baking powder. Add the oils and beer and mix briefly with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until soft, oily dough forms. If it is too soft, mix in a little more flour. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Flatten the dough with your hands. Place it in a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press it evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Line with aluminum foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the foil, prick the dough with a fork and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until set but not colored. Let cool.
• MAKE THE FILLING: In a food processor, combine the ricotta, honey, mastic (if using) and cinnamon. Process for 30 seconds. With the motor running, add the eggs one at a time, processing until smooth.
• Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top with spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown and set. Sprinkle with cinnamon and let cool before serving.
• Variation
• FRESH CHEESE AND HONEY TARTLETS MYZITHROPITAKIA, LIHNARAKIA OR MELITINIA
• Instead of one large tart, you can make about 30 individual tartlets.
• Divide the dough into 3 pieces and shape each into a 10 1/2-inch-long log about 1 inch in diameter. Cut each log into 10 pieces. Work with 1 piece of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap.
• On a lightly floured surface, pat each piece into a 4 1/2-inch round. Put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each round and pinch the rim to make a star-shaped crown around the filling. Bake on baking sheets in batches for about 25 minutes, or until light golden.

ROSEMARY-HONEY ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: Generously butter a 10-inch round (3/4- to 1-inch deep) fluted tart pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest and salt. Working quickly, rub or cut the cold butter into the dry mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the pieces are the size of small pebbles. (Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the dry ingredients with the butter.) Add the egg yolks and the cold water. Using your hands, combine just until the dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 week (see Tip).
• While the dough chills, prepare the filling: In a small pot set over medium-low, combine the honey, rosemary sprigs, sugar, butter and salt. Stir frequently until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for at least 10 minutes. Whisk the egg, yolks and cream in a liquid measuring cup. Remove the rosemary sprigs from the honey and whisk the egg mixture into the honey mixture until fully blended. Stir in the almonds. The filling can be covered and refrigerated for up to a week (see Tip).
• Using a floured rolling pin, roll out chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper or on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round. To transfer to the tart pan, roll the dough around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the pan without stretching it. Gently press the dough into the fluted sides and, using a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, trim any overhang to 1/4 inch above the pan. Refrigerate the tart shell until firm, at least 20 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees while the dough chills.
• Line the tart dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is lightly browned along the edges and beginning to firm up, about 18 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes to lightly brown the edges. Press down the bottom surface with the back of a spoon if the crust bubbles. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and carefully pour the filling into the cooled tart shell. Bake until the filling is set, deep golden brown and jiggles slowly when the pan is moved back and forth, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the tart completely before slicing. The tart will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or can be cooled, wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost before serving.