I hope you’re all enjoying the Summer Holidays, whether that’s making the most of some kitchen time with the family or having a well earned break! This month in Pampered Chef land my most popular guest special freebie has been the Mini Tart Tins, so I promised my guests I’d pop up a few of my favourite recipes on here. Each of these is either a favourite to make or to eat of my family, so it’s a real delight to make them in mini as an adult. Instant happy childhood memories
Very sadly the Mini Tart Tins are being discontinued at the end of the month, so if you want to get your hands on simply the best non-stick-loose-bottomed-individual tart tins (and you’re based in the UK) then please get in touch. I try not to be too blatant in my sharing of businessey stuffs so I hope you’ll forgive me this time 😉
First up- Daddy’s Banoffee Pie.
My dad has a few tried and tested recipes that he loves to cook. And this is one of his favourites. Growing up Banoffee Pie was always done as a bigger pudding that was sliced, but here it’s a very generous desert for one, or great for sharing!
250g digestive biscuits
100g butter (melted)
1 banana
1 tin Condensed Milk Caramel (see end notes)
300ml (ish) double cream
Chocolate to garnish
Crush the biscuits finely and add to the melted butter then press into the individual mini tart tins
Chill in the freezer for 15-20 mins
Slice the banana and add 4-5 slices onto the biscuit crumb base then top with a layer of caramel.
Whip the cream and dollop (yes, that’s the technical term) onto the caramel
Serve with a fine grating of chocolate or a crumble of flake on top
Note: The caramel can be bought ready made or you can make your own by simmering a tin of condensed milk for 2 hours and allow to cool slightly (not too much or it gets too thick to spread!)
If you’re making these nearly at serving time you can put the caramel in first and then add the banana, but if you need to keep it cover the banana with the caramel and it’ll stop it going brown and soggy, letting you add the cream later. I know that the banana-first-then-caramel combination can be safely stored in the fridge for 24 hours or so!
Secondly, Mr Kirsty’s Lemon Meringue Pie
I’m a very lucky lady in that Mr Kirsty is an accomplished cook and baker (he makes MUCH better bread than I can, but don’t tell him I said that) and his signature dessert is this lemon meringue pie.
1 batch of Orange Pastry
Zest and juice of a large lemon
200g (7oz) Caster Sugar
25g (1oz) Butter
45ml (3tbsp) cornflour
3 eggs, separated
pinch of salt
1/8th tsp cream of tartar
Method
Remove pastry dough from fridge and kneed slightly and then split into 6 equal pieces.Preheat oven to 180c
Roll out each piece and press into mini tart tin
Blind bake for 12 mins, then remove baking beans and put back in the oven for another 5 mins.While that’s blind baking make up lemon filling
To make lemon curd place the zest, juice, butter, 90g (3oz) of the sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil
Place the cornflour in a bowl and dissolve it in 1tbsp of water then mix in the egg yolks
Add the egg yolks to the lemon mix and bring back to the boil, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens (around 5 mins)
Cover surface of curd mix with scrunched up greaseproof paper lid to stop it forming a skin and allow to cool
Once tart cases and curd have cooled dollop the curd into the tart cases and make the meringue top
Beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks, then add the remaining sugar (110g / 4oz) and beat again until glossy
Spoon or pipe the meringue mix into the curd topped cases making sure that all the curd is covered then bake at 200c for 12 mins or until satisfyingly golden on top
Next up – Nana’s Baked Alaska.
I can still remember the utter wonder of my Nana pulling a dessert out of the oven that had ice cream at the centre, but still had frozen ice cream in the middle. I was probably only 5 when I first remember Nana making it, but even then it defied all I understood of the world. It’s still a little bit magic now, and I imagine the look of shocked awe on Little Miss PbK’s face when I made these for her was a picture of my own at the same age.
Makes 4
1 Swiss Roll
Ice Cream
3 eggs,
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp of Cream of Tartar
110g / 4oz Caster Sugar
Preheat the oven to 220c /200c fan / gas 7
Slice the Swiss Roll and cover the bottom of the loose bottom fluted tart tins
Beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until firm.
Then add the sugar gradually while whisking until stiff peak stage is reached
Put one scoop of ice cream in the centre of the swiss roll and then cover completely with meringue mix.
Put them in the hot oven for 6-8 minutes until crisp and golden on top.
Lastly (for now) Mum’s Tart Au Citron.
Mum and I both adore this tangy sweet sharp desert served with just a dribble of double cream. Perfect summer pud served cold and keeps well for the next day too!
1 Batch of Orange Pastry
2 medium eggs
60g (2oz) caster sugar
100ml double cream
zest and rind of 2 lemons
Remove pastry from resting in fridge and kneed slightly then split into 6 equal pieces.
Preheat oven to 180c
Roll out each piece and press into mini tart tin
Blind bake for 12 mins, then remove baking beans and put back in the oven for another 5 mins. While that’s blind baking make up filling
Beat the eggs, then add sugar, cream and lemon rind and juice, and mix well.
Pour mixture into the pastry case, filling it almost to the top.
Bake the tart in the centre of the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the filling have set and it is just slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove from the oven, slide the tart tins on to a wire rack and leave the tart to cool in the tin for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely. Chill the tart well, and dust it with icing sugar just before serving.