BOOK REVIEW: Smart Tart by Tamasin Day Lewis

Not a recipe today, instead its a review of my newest book to add to my collection.  'Smart Tart' by Tamasin Day-Lewis is a book I first came across when I started this blog. After 'following' Tamasin on Twitter, she posted a comment about a new book she was hoping to publish via the Unbound publishing company.  Unbound, if you don't already know, is an online company where writers can pitch ideas to the general public and wait for backers to donate money.  When the target is met the book is published, simple.  Of course the backers get something out of it otherwise why would they bother donating?  Depending on the author most rewards include a first edition print of the book, dedications in the back of the published book, access to addition content and more interesting extras like VIP invites to the release party.  Tamasin offered cooking lessons at her home, acknowledgments in the book and even a tart named after you.  I would have loved to pay for the cooking lesson but missed out due to the book being published early with thanks to Fortnum and Mason.

As with past 'book reviews' please do not expect something as fluent as the reviews you find on Amazon by professional reviewers, this is my simple take on telling you what this book is all about.

Smart Tart

by Tamasin Day-Lewis

Page count: 199 (not including the index etc)

First let me comment on the size of this book.  Hardback it is (a must for my kitchen collection) this book is mini in size.  Now there is nothing wrong with this and I actually like how this book is easy to hold and read.  It is roughly A5 in size.

Divided in to 14 chapters that all include a autobiographical opening by Tamasin herself and a range of recipes based on the subject matter covered.  There are many high quality images and most recipes include at least one photograph of the final version.  Included is the normal range of images of the author herself and also a selection of images from her youth and outdoor/indoor scenes.

I will not give anything away about the contents of the opening sections of the book, if your interested in a trip down Tamasin's memory lane you need to purchase the book yourself.  However I will briefly cover the contents of each chapter.

Chapter 1: Bakewell Tart

Ok, the only recipe in this chapter should not take to much guessing.  Correct, Bakewell Tart.  Chapter 1 consists of 3 pages and includes a double page close up of the best looking Bakewell tart I have ever seen.  This is a recipe I am looking forward to giving a go.

Chapter 2: Tea at Fortnum's Fountain

This chapter contains another recipe I must give a go as it combines two of my favourite things - Tart and Brownie.  The first recipe of this chapter is Chocolate and Cherry Brownie Tart and again it has its own two page close up spread.  Other recipes in this chapter include the very simple Jam Tart, Lemon and Passion Fruit Curd and two savoury tarts - Gammon and Spinach tart and Smoked Salmon and artichoke tart.  

Chapter 3: Christmas

This chapter opens with a poem, 'The Christmas Tree', by Tamasin's father.  Recipes in this chapter include Almond and Crystallised Orange Tart, Sausage Tart and Stilton, celery and red onion tart.

Chapter 4: The things I love and the things I hate about food

The first recipe of this chapter is something I have never heard of before, Primavera Tart.  This tart seems to be a collection of spring vegetables melded together with eggs and cream to form a light 'green' spring tart.  The spring theme continues with the second, and last recipe, in this chapter, Asparagus and Parmesan Tart.

Chapter 5: Treacle Tart

Just one recipe in this chapter and you may have guess what it is already.  Tamasin take on the simple treacle tart.  Her twist, adding grated apple and the optional extra of walnuts.

Chapter 6: Slowly Cooked

Pear, Hazelnut and Honey tart starts this chapter followed by the French classic Tatin, but this time made with Apricot.

Chapter 7: Childhood Tarts

This chapter contains my all time favourite of tarts - Tarte au Citron.  If you read my first attempt at this tart many months back you will remember it didn't work.  I have noticed however that the recipe I followed all those months back (a snippet of this book before it was published) has now been adapted and the cooking times reduced.  I braved it and attempted to cook this tart again and SUCCESS it worked and actually I think it was the best lemon tart I had ever made.  This chapter also contains another tart I have made a number of times and many people have enjoyed, White Chocolate and Raspberry.  Sometimes adapted with strawberries this tart is light and perfect for after a BBQ.  The final recipe in this chapter is apple tart.

Chapter 8: Homestart

This chapter opens with a pleasant story of Tamasin's cooking challenges with a group of young cooks and is my favourite of the whole book.  Classic tarts are found in this chapter starting with Quiche Lorraine and finishing with Lemon Meringue Pie (something I could never make due to an unfortunate case of food poisoning many years back that put me off this combination once and for all)

Chapter 9: The particular spot

Only two recipes in this chapter.  Scarmorza, fennel and tomato tart with mustard gruyere and Crab and caramelised fennel tart.  Not really my sort of tarts so I will just move on to chapter 10.

Chapter 10: Revolution

The first recipe in this chapter is something I have never heard of before: Homity Pies.  From reading the recipe it is basically cheese and potato but jazzed up a little.  The next recipe is dedicated to Kay Ord who donated enough to Unbound to have a tart created for her.  Wraxall Tart: :Leek, Basil, Gruyere and Goat's Cheese.  The next recipe, from another top pledger, is Tarte a la Rippon and consists of ham, tomato and gruyere.  Roast Pumpkin, Goats crouton and sage tart is the final recipe in this chapter.

Chapter 11: Figs

Antipasti tarts start this chapter followed by a very tasty looking Fig, Raspberry and white chocolate tart.

Chapter 12: Famine

This chapter contains a tart that I truly love in summer and can't wait to make.  Simply Strawberry Tart has to be one of the best tarts going.  It must be made with the best of British strawberries and contain the thickest of thick custard.  This tart shares a page with another that I am looking forward to making, Torta Della Nonna.  

Chapter 13: Matters of the Heart

Baked Ricotta, Lemon and Vanilla Tart start this chapter and it is followed by a simple take on the Walnut Tart.

Chapter 14: The Best Restaurant

The final chapter of the book ends with contains no recipes but does discuss the methods of making shortcrust, Pate Sucree (sweet crust) and pate Sablee pastry.  I found this chapter very useful as it puts to bed the silly ideas that people can not make pastry.  I always use the food processor method as it results in the lightest and crumbliest pastry.  Tamasin's final word of wisdom is puff pastry...don't bother making it, buy it!  

Chocolate Truffle Torte

Quick post today as I just remembered that I start back at work tomorrow and for the past two weeks I have done nothing!  The pile of marking has been sitting on my desk since I placed it there at the start of the Christmas holidays and has been looking at me everyday since.  Thankfully tomorrow is an INSET day so I don't have to stress tonight or iron my work clothes (hopefully I still fit in them).

I have just over three months before I jet off to Thailand and I have set myself the goal of losing two stone in weight and seriously sorting out my now misshapen body by visiting the gym I pay for but never go.  When I think back, five or so years ago, I was at my fittest I had ever been.  11% body fat, bang on my ideal weight, knew how to use every piece of gym equipment going and more importantly felt like one of those real 'gym addicts'.  The older I get the harder it becomes so I really need to crack on with it now.  I know this is a new year and is typically the time when everyone starts a diet, loses weight and wants to get fit, and I am sure that every year I have said it.  But I really need to get a move on this time.  I have publicly announced on my blog that I am going to do it!  As soon as I get my stomach flat again I will be going with Kate to her tattooist to get my   'I was 17 and had should have known better' tattoo improved.  I will also fit in my designer beachwear again!  Right, call it a new years resolution if you like, but I have stated what I am going to do and now I just need to get on with it.

So, todays post, I know, chocolate, not the best of posts for someone who is now getting fit.  But this if from Christmas and has been sitting around waiting to be posted since Christmas Eve.  A classic recipe by Delia Smith and only slightly adapted by me since I struggled to get the glucose syrup and could not be bothered to look for amaretti biscuits.  The correct recipe is here if you like.  I should really have added the rum as stated as I feel this would have made the texture of the final product better, but as long as you take it out the fridge a good hour before you want to each this torte was very nice.  Like eating soft chocolate truffles.  I hate to think how many calories per slice.

Truffle Torte

by Delia Smith (adapted by me)

50g crushed digestive biscuits

450g 75% chocolate

5 tbsp golden syrup

570ml double cream

cocoa powder to dust

Line the bottom of a 25cm tin (does not have to be loose) with greaseproof paper.

 

 

Sprinkle the crushed biscuits over the base of the tin.  Spread out evenly.

Over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate with the golden syrup until smooth.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Whip the cream until at the soft peak stage.

Fold the chocolate mixture in to the cream.

Carefully pour the chocolate cream mixture in to the tin and spread out, try not to move the biscuit crumbs around too much.

Place in the fridge to chill over night.

To serve, remove from the fridge and using a knife run around the edge of the tin to loosen the sides.  Turn out the torte on to a serving plate, don't worry it is very well behaved.  The biscuit base will form the top.

Dust with cocoa powder.  Best to allow to come to room temp before serving.  Store in the fridge until you want to eat it and remove a good hour before.

Enjoy.

Steak Rub (and how to cook steak)

Is there anything better than a perfectly cooked steak? Tiger striped, juicy and slightly rare in the middle?   For me one of the best (and simplest) meal is a nice slab of steak served with mash potato or chunky chips.  The best sauce in the world for steak has to be béarnaise, followed second by pepper and a close third by Diane.  Peas and mushrooms, yes please.

My favourite type of steak has to be ribeye.  This steak has plenty of fat which results in loads of flavour and a very juicy cut.  Cheaper than fillet (unfortunately only just now) you get more for your money and unless you cook it for an hour its very difficult to get wrong.  Due to its high fat content many sources recommend cooking this steak to medium/medium well.  For me however my steaks must be rare.  

Nigella couldn't have put it any other way - "rare enough that a good vet could bring round".

This special rub is from chef Anne Burrell and I first came across it over a year ago and since then has been my rub of choice for all steak.  Easy to make and once you have a batch it will stay happy in the cupboard for a few months while you get through it.  Mainly consisting of salt (meat needs to be salty) and sugar (to guarantee a perfect tiger stripe crust) this rub has the smoky flavour of paprika and warming scent of garlic that infuses in to your steak within 30 minutes of rubbing.  I have never tried this rub with anything other than steak but actually it might work well on chunks of red onion, peppers and courgettes.  Anne created it for ribeye steak and she states that leaving it overnight will give your steaks an aged flavour.  I tend to get my steaks from Marks and Spencer as they surprisingly sell amazing steaks at very good prices, all aged for at least 21 days.  Simply rub in, leave for 30 minutes while the chips cook and sear in the pan.

A few notes on cooking steak.  I would always use a pan of some sort, never a grill (BBQ only exception)  You must heat the pan to as hot as you dare and not add any oil - oil the meat if you must, never the pan.  Once 'shimmering' hot place your steak, presentation side down, and LEAVE well alone.  Start a timer and cook for 4 mins.  Do not touch.  Then turn over and continue to cook for 2 minutes for rare, 3 for medium and 4 for well.  Again do not touch or you will spoil your stripes if using a griddle.  You want the steak to catch in places and slightly burn.  The high heat will sear the steak and it will naturally release itself from the pan.  Finally the most important thing to do is allow your steak to rest after its cooked.  Leave it on a wooden board or warm plate.  I leave for 5 minutes as there is normally other things I need to do while I wait (heat up sauce, dish out mash, etc).

So, if you enjoy steak as much as me why not give this rub a go?

Steak Rub

by Anne Burrell

3 tbsp sea salt (must be sea salt - table is far to strong)

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

2 tsp red (or sometimes called pink) whole peppercorns

2 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tsp garlic powder

Simply place all the ingredients in a pestle and mortar and grind until the peppercorns have broken up and the mixture looks like damp martian sand.

To use, sprinkle as much as you like over the steaks.  I tend to use a teaspoon per steak (so half on one side and half the other).  Rub or brush in with a pastry brush.

Leave for at least 30 minutes.  Store the left over rub in a air tight container.

Then cook your way, or my way, as stated above.

Enjoy.