Remembering summer in the UK

2 years ago we were in the UK for my cousins wedding.  There were a few things that were a revelation on the trip.

Firstly, food prices were actually really reasonable.  If purchasing food at the grocery store you could get some really awesome deals.  Even the ready-meals at the grocery store were reasonable.

Secondly, when traveling with kids rental apartments are the best way and value for your money and sanity.  After a few weeks sharing a room where we would have to escape to the bathroom to do stuff on the computer or read our books, I decided that while in Birmingham I had booked a 2 bedroom apartment right in the heart attack of Chinatown and it was sooooooooo nice. The girls shared a room and we had our own cooking facilities and best of all we had a  laundry machine all to ourselves. 

Thirdly, I love Tesco and all the lovelies helped within their walls. 

Fourthly, Crabbies is an delicious alcoholic ginger beer which I bugged my local liquor store to start carrying :)

Now, on one of our many trips to Tesco I picked up a cooking magazine because pictures on the front cover was this totally delicious looking almond fruit tart.  Since I had some lovely Okanagan peaches and some Italian prune plums so I decided to make that almond tart with some of those fruit.  Being lazy and terrible at making pastry, I used a pre-made pie crust which worked perfectly since the filling then filled 2 shells instead of just the one called for in the recipe.  This let me try it with both peaches and plums.  I think it would also be really tasty with pears or apples.

Almond Fruit Tart
Originally published in "Good Food" magazine, Sept 2010

500g Puff Pastry "or" 2 pre-made pie crusts
3-4 ripe Peaches, cut into 6 wedges "or" 12-14 Italian Prune Plums "or" both

Filling:
175g/6oz Ground Almonds
50g/2oz Toasted Almonds, plus a handful more to decorate
250g tub Mascarpone (or a 250g brick of cream cheese, if you cheap like me)
25g/1oz Butter, softened
200g/7oz Golden Caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp to decorate
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp Almond Extract.

-Preheat oven to 400.
-If using puff pastry, roll out pastry on a floured surface until big enough to line a 23cm tart tin with an overhang.  Line the tin with pastry, gently folding overhanging pastry down the outside of the tin, then prick all over with a fork, Line with greaseproof paper; sit a 20cm round tin on top (it should fit snugly). Fill with baking beans, then blind-bake for 20-25 minutes until the sides are set.  Remove the beans, tin and paper and cook for 10-15 minutes more until golden, risen and crisp. Cool a little, then trim the overhang and press down.
-If using pre-made crusts, I just baked it until it was golden.  Let cool.
-Lower the oven to 350.
-Beat together the filling ingredients, spoon into the tin and top with the peaches or plums. Scatter with 1 tbsp caster sugar and extra flaked almonds, then bake for 40 min until puffed up and golden, with a slight wobble in the center.  Cool to room temperature.

NB: if using pre-made crusts it will probably take less time to bake, so keep an eye on the state of the almond filling.  Remember: puffed up, golden and with a slight wobble in the center.

Enjoy