Chez Panisse Almond Tart

Please don't let the less than perfect appearance of my attempt of this lovely tart put you off, yours will be much prettier I promise! Read on for my excuses reasons :)

Since I've been on such a foodie love fest recently (cinnamon..lemons..coconut..) I was going to continue this theme and call or start this post with 'I love nuts', but luckily better judgement won through, suspect google searches might well have brought some interesting visitors to my blog!

Back to the topic in hand, this is the infamous 'Chez Panisse Almond Tart'. Possibly the most involved recipe I have yet attempted but by no means hard, you just have to watch over it like a doting parent making sure it doesn't misbehave too badly. If you have not come across this recipe before, it is the creation of the head pastry chef/co-owner of the Chez Panisse Restaurant in California at which the wonderful and inspirational David Lebovitz worked. It was their most popular dessert by far, but was essentially a pain in the butt to make on a larger scale and tricky to eat with a fork. PLEASE don't be put off, the end product more than makes up for it! David states 'it’s the most delicious thing I’ve probably ever had. And I’ve had a lot of things that were delicious', from him..thats incredibly high praise indeed

I actually really enjoyed making this once I realised the process wasn't as difficult as I expected. I have to say it didn't turn out QUITE as I wanted but that is purely because of my oven, or should I say lack of oven...this is my dirty little secret ive been keeping from you. We have an aga which is turned off in the summer, so Im ashamed to say all my baking in warmer months is done in a combination microwave oven *insert sad, embarrassed face* It looks like a normal microwave but has an oven function inbuilt which is handy but it tends to cook too fast around the edges compared to the centre - hence the overdone outside and underdone middle! But this should, if anything, reassure you - if I can produce a remotely yummy edible good then you can definitely do it! And yours will be much prettier than mine :)

Please click on any photo to enlarge

The 4th photo shows the shell mid-baking just before I pushed the sides up a bit more

You can see how much the filling bubbles in the last 2 photos, wasn't expecting that! Was hypnotising :) oh yes..and that is indeed my microwave oven, please ignore the fact it needs a good scrub!

Despite aesthetics (and probably a bit of a compromise on taste) I still enjoyed every. single. morsel. of this glorious tart. It is an almond lovers absolute dream - nutty, caramely, chewy goodness. Think pecan pie..but different...and better..on almond shaped steroids

Here is the recipe, David's instructions are pretty clear but I have rephrased and tried to elaborate in areas to make sure you get the bestttt possible results :) My main alteration was to use orange zest instead of the booze, if I had the Grand Marnier I would definitely use it though (and probably a bit more than stated!) I know it looks lengthy but if you scan it you will see it's pretty straight forward - dough, chill, press, chill, bake. Filling, pour, bake/tap, cool...stuff your face silly.

Chez Panisse Almond Tart

Adapted from David Lebovitz who got the recipe from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Shere

Also seen at The Sweet Art and In Food I Trust

Makes a 9 (or 10) inch tart

For the Dough

1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp caster sugar

1/2 cup (115g/4oz) chilled unsalted butter, cubed

1 Tbsp ice water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp almond extract

For the Filling

1 cup (250ml) heavy cream

1 cup (200g) caster sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup (80g) sliced almonds (unblanched preferred)

1/8 tsp almond extract

2 tsp Grand Marnier or Amaretto

Mix together the flour and sugar for the dough in a food processor (or using a pastry blender)

Add the butter and pulse until no large chunks are visible and it is in very small pieces

Add the water and extracts, mix until the dough comes together and is smooth

Press into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly 

When ready, let dough come to room temperature and, using your hand, press the pastry into a 9 inch tart ring with removable base*. Save a little bit of dough for patch-up jobs incase of holes forming during baking. Put the shell in the freezer to chill

Preheat oven to 375F/190C and bake shell when ready for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown** 

Patch any little holes with leftover dough

(Leave oven on)

Line the rack under the one you plan to use with foil incase the filling bubbles over during baking

Heat the cream, sugar and salt in a large pot (at least 4qts), bring to the boil and contiue to cook until it starts to foam up

Remove from heat and stir in almonds, extract + liquor

Pour into the shell and even out almonds

Bake in oven for 30 minutes total - check every 10 mins and tap all across the surface of the bubbling tart with a rubber spatula to break it up, tapping less aggressively as the filling starts to set and not tapping at all once it starts to caramelise***

Remove the tart when the filling is a light golden, creamy coffee colour and there are no pockets of white filling

Let cool for a few minutes before loosening the edges with a knife/curved vegetable peeler and removing the ring by resting the base on a solid object and wiggling the ring off

Return the tart to a cooling rack and remove the base of the pan once completely cool (if difficult, set on top of a warm stove for a few seconds and try again)

Serve in small (pfft, ignore that) wedges with lashings of cream/ice-cream/topping of choice :)

Notes

*I do not have such a thing sadly, but used a 9 inch ceramic dish and would recommend throughly greasing whatever pan you use

It does not have to be perfect, but I think the most important thing is to get the dough as high up the sides as you can as it shrinks back during cooking

**David mentions you can push the half-baked dough back up the sides during baking. After 15 minutes I took the shell out and pushed the sides up a bit using my fingers (its hot..it burns..im silly)

***I tapped after 10, 20 and 25 minutes