Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Quince Tart Tartin

Quince-Tart-Tartin
Quince-Tart-Tartin
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Ingredients


4 pcs Quince fruit


1 litre water


200 gm sugar


1 pc lime zest and juice


1 pc lemon zest and juice


16 gm cinnamon sticks


6 gm anis


500 gm puff pastry, thawed


4 pc Quince fruit


3 tablespoons water


100 g sugar


10 gm unsalted butter


Caramel Sauce


100 gm sugar


10 gm water


100 gm cream


1 stick vanilla bean


METHOD


Mix the water, sugar, lime, lemon, cinnamon and anis large non-reactive pot and turn it on to medium-to-high heat.


While the liquid is heating, quarter, peel, and remove the cores of the quince.


As you peel and prepare the quince quarters, slip each one into the simmering liquid. Once done, cover the pot with a round of parchment paper with a walnut-sized hole cut in the centre and place it on top.


Simmer the quince (do not boil) for at least an hour, until the quince is cooked through.


Using 7 cm muffin mould flat-sided cake pan as a template, cut a circle out from the puff pastry. Using a fork, poke holes all over to provide ventilation. Set aside.


Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).


In a large saucepan over medium heat, distribute the water and sugar evenly and cook until light amber in colour, stirring to help melt any lumps, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter, stirring constantly until the colour is a creamy light brown.


Arrange the Quince fruit slices in concentric circles on the bottom of the cake pan. Press the fruit tightly against each other and pour the remaining caramel over the top.


Lay the circle of puff pastry on top. Tuck the puff pastry down the sides of the pan.


Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and firm. Cool for about 1 hour, then invert onto a plate.


Caramel sauce


In a medium saucepan over medium heat, distribute the water and sugar evenly and cook until light golden brown, then add cream and cook gently to get a thick sauce.


PRO TIP: Serve with vanilla ice cream


Quinces belong to the Rosaceae family, halfway between an apple and a pear. They are larger and harder than the average apple, so generally not to be eaten raw. The peel is a bright lemon-lime colour and its white flesh has this magical quality of turning into the most fantastic schoolgirl pink when cooked. Nowadays, quinces are used frequently across the Mediterranean; in ancient Greece, they were even given as an offering at weddings, a quick nibble for the bride to perfume the marital kiss.


Every pastry chef in the making needs to learn how to make a Quince Tart Tartin as part of his training. A classic dessert, Quince Tart Tartin is often enjoyed on winter months when the fruit is abundant.


Chef Lahiru learned baking even before he started to learn his ABCs. His earliest and fondest childhood memories were those times spent in the kitchen. It was the long hours spent in the family’s kitchen together with his mother that encouraged him to pursue his passion. At a young age, he had mastered the traditional desserts from his home country — Sri Lanka. Equipped with an exceptional sense of taste, artistry and creativity, Chef Lahiru entered culinary school to further hone is an innate talent.


He started his professional career back home at the Holiday Inn and later on moved to Sofitel and Mercure hotels. He re-joined the InterContinental Hotels Group when he moved to the Middle East. With a career spanning of 25 years, Chef Lahiru has mastered the precise science of confectionary, cake decorating, pastry, chocolate and petits fours. He had created innovative desserts that have roused the curiosity of the guests — both in visual and taste.


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