dinner parties
stump me
sometimes
being trained in pastry
there is a certain expectation
dessert will be served
and
it will be from scratch
normally
not a problem
however
occasionally
(particlarly when preparing
a full and complicated dinner)
i don't want to finish
with a
substantial & heavy dessert
sometimes
a simple nut tart
served with
strong coffee
paired with
a bowl of clementines
is just the trick
Simple Nut Tart
1 pastry crust, pressed into an 8" square tart tin--baked blind
1 cups walnut--toasted
1 1/2 cups pecans--toasted
1 cup almonds--toasted
1/2 cup pine nuts--toasted
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup water
1 oz whiskey
preheat oven to 350. place all nuts in a large bowl and mix until well combined. put brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey salt and water in a heavy saucepan. stir well, place on medium heat and bring to a simmer. allow to boil for about 3 minutes. carefully add the whiskey and bring back to a boil. boil for 2 more minutes. the sugar should get a bit syrupy, but should not smoke or turn excessively dark. keep a constant eye on the sugar. remove the sugar from heat and tip in the nuts. stir well, giving each nut a coat of syrup. immediately tip into the baked crust, gently and spreading to cover the entire crust. pop into the oven for 5-7 minutes. remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.
variations
-add orange juice in place of some water in caramel; a pinch of orange zest & a sprinkle of cinnamon to the nuts
-the addition of fresh rosemary when stirring the nuts into the caramel (light hand) make for a beautiful winter tart
--drizzle with bittersweet chocolate or drench in dark ganache
-substitute vanilla for whiskey
-be creative!
