Tourtiere Apple Prune And Armagnac Tart Recipes

TOURTIERE (APPLE, PRUNE AND ARMAGNAC TART)

Steps:

• To prepare the tourtiere you will need a large, round, shallow baking pan; a 16-inch paella pan is perfect.
• Peel the apples, quarter them and slice very thin. In a mediumsize saucepan combine the apples, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water and cook over medium-high heat until quite dry, or for about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine the prunes and Armagnac and allow them to marinate while the apples cook.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Dampen a large cloth towel and drape it over the phyllo dough to prevent it from drying out.
• Drain the prunes and combine them with the cooked apples. Reserve the Armagnac or rum.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly oil the bottom and sides of the baking pan.
• Place the tourtiere in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 and cook an additional hour. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve either hot, at room temperature or gently reheated, cutting into pie-shaped wedges.
• Spoon the apple-and-prune mixture in a single layer on top of the fourth sheet of dough, covering the bottom and sides of the pastry. Be sure to keep the unused phyllo dough covered as you continue to work.
• Continue with the rest of the phyllo dough, layering sheet by sheet, covering each sheet with a sprinkling of sugar and a sprinkling of Armagnac, until you have used all the sugar, Armagnac and dough. Use about 10 sheets, or layers, in all.
• Trim off any overlapping pastry from the edges so they are even and sprinkle the trimmings on top of the last layer of pastry.
• Center one sheet of phyllo dough in the baking pan and sprinkle generously with sugar and Armagnac. Do this three more times until you have four sheets of phyllo.

PRUNE AND ARMAGNAC TART

Steps:

• Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed, deep-sided tart tin with butter and dust with flour.
• For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Crack in the eggs and stir using your fingertips until the mixture comes together as a sticky dough.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Flatten to a thickness of 1cm/½in using the palms of your hands, then cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, add all of the prunes, 150ml/5fl oz of the Armagnac, 100g/3½oz of the caster sugar, and 100ml/3½fl oz of water to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn off the heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the prunes have absorbed the liquid and plumped up and softened.
• Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm.
• Carefully line the prepared tart tin with the pastry, pressing it into the edges of the tin. Take care not to stretch or break the pastry.
• Blend half of the soaked prunes with 3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid in a food processor until smooth and puréed. Spread this mixture over the base of the pastry case.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
• For the filling, beat the butter and the remaining caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until they have all been fully incorporated into the mixture. Fold in the flour and ground almonds carefully with the last of the Armagnac.
• Spoon the mixture into the pastry case and smooth the top. Decorate the top of the filling with the remaining soaked prunes and the blanched whole almonds (reserve the remaining soaking liquid).
• Bake the tart for 25-35 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown, puffed up slightly and darker brown around the edges.
• Just before serving, heat the remaining soaking liquid in a small pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until sticky and syrupy.
• When the tart comes out of the oven, trim the excess pastry from the edges to give a clean edge and brush the top with the Armagnac syrup.
• Whisk the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gently whisk in the remaining Armagnac. Dust the tart with icing sugar.
• Serve the tart hot or warm with the Armagnac cream.

FRENCH CANADIAN TOURTIERE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine pork, beef, onion, garlic, water, salt, thyme, sage, black pepper and cloves. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils; stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is cooked, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Spoon the meat mixture into the pie crust. Place top crust on top of pie and pinch edges to seal. Cut slits in top crust so steam can escape. Cover edges of pie with strips of aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove foil and return to oven. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

APPLE AND PRUNE TART WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND COGNAC

Steps:

• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add shortening and butter and blend, using on/off turns, until coarse meal forms. Add 3 tablespoons ice water. Blend, using on/off turns, until moist clumps form, adding more water by 1/2 tablespoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Combine prunes and Cognac in small bowl. Cover; let stand 2 hours, stirring often. Drain prunes, reserving Cognac. Cut prunes in half; set aside. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in and press, forming double-thick sides; refrigerate crust 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apples, sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in large bowl. Arrange apple wedges, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles in crust. Bake tart until apples are just tender, about 1 hour. Tuck prunes into spaces between apples. Brush fruit with 1 tablespoon butter. Bake tart until apples are very tender and crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer tart to rack and cool 15 minutes.
• Blend 1 tablespoon reserved Cognac into strained preserves for glaze. Brush glaze over warm tart. Cut tart into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream, drizzling some of reserved Cognac over ice cream.

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

APPLE AND PRUNE TART

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Pulse together flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons ice water and pulse until pastry starts to hold together, adding remaining tablespoon ice water if needed. Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times. Form dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 30 minutes.
• Make filling:
• Simmer water, Calvados, and prunes, uncovered, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Stir together cinnamon, cloves, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1/2 cup sugar.
• Peel and core apples and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. Halve wedges crosswise and toss with cinnamon mixture. Add lemon juice and toss to coat.
• Finely grind walnuts with remaining 3 tablespoons flour and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor.
• Assemble and bake tart:
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14- by 18-inch oval. Roll dough loosely onto floured rolling pin and unroll onto a large buttered baking sheet. Spinkle walnut mixture over pastry, leaving a 2 1/2- to 3-inch border.
• Stir stewed prunes into apple mixture and spoon over walnut mixture, evenly tucking prunes between apple pieces. Turn edge of dough over fruit to form pleats. Brush top of dough with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake tart, loosely covered with foil, in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust and fruit are golden and juices are bubbling, about 30 minutes more. Cool tart on baking sheet on a rack at least 20 minutes before serving.

TOURTIERE TARTS

Steps:

• Add first ten ingredients to large skillet.
• Cook until done, stirring occasionally to break up meat.
• Drain any excess grease.
• Mix egg and sour cream; add to meat mixture.
• Spoon into tart shells and place on baking tray.
• Bake at 425 for 8 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

GOLDEN CREAM AND APPLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with a fork. Add the cream and three tablespoons of the sugar. Mix until well blended and set aside.
• Peel and core the apples. Cut them in half. Cut each half into quarters. Starting just inside the edge of the pastry shell, neatly layer the apple slices - slightly overlapping them - in two or three concentric circles, working toward the center. Pour the cream mixture over the apples. Sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons of sugar.
• Bake until the cream filling is set and the apples are very brown, even slightly blackened at the edges, about 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cook. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TOURTIERE TARTS

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in large saucepan. ( I do mine in microwaveable casserole dish).Simmer.
• If doing on stove top bring to boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
• Remove from heat and add mashed potatoes. Mixture should be moist and thick. Cool completely.
• Line muffin tins with tart shells. Spoon meat mixture to fill.
• Bake at 400 degrees F until browned.
• To reheat from freezer, about 10 t0 20 minutes in oven or toaster oven 350 degrees F.