A twist on the classic lemon tart, a blood orange panna cotta with biscotti and a steamed ginger pudding
I can't think of a better way to end my stay on these pages than with something sweet. Well, three somethings, actually, and none of them that hard to make: a sort-of Italian take on the French tarte au citron; a panna cotta that takes full advantage of the joys of blood oranges; and a ginger pudding because who doesn't love a steamed pudding on a crisp spring day?
*Lemon and ricotta tart*
The ricotta adds a lovely richness to this not-so-traditional version of the classic lemon tart. Serves eight.
*4 medium eggs*
*200g caster sugar*
*175ml double cream*
*130ml lemon juice, plus the grated zest of 2 lemons*
*350g ricotta *
*200g raspberry*
*Icing sugar, for dusting*
For the sweet pastry
*330g plain flour*
*A pinch of salt*
*100g icing sugar*
*200g cold butter, cut into chunks *
*3 eggs*
First make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add the icing sugar, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, beat together two of the eggs, then add these to the flour mix and work with your hands until it comes together into a dough. Take care not to overwork it, otherwise it will become too hard and lose its crumbly texture. Wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest for at least an hour.
Meanwhile, get to work on the filling. Whisk the eggs and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then fold in the cream, lemon juice and grated zest, and set aside.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick – take care, because it's quite delicate – then use it to line a 24cm flan tin (fluted, if possible) with a loose base. Cover the pastry with parchment and fill with baking beans, then bake for 20 minutes, until just starting to turn golden brown. Remove the beans and parchment, cook for five minutes more, then remove from the oven.
Beat the remaining egg from the pastry ingredients, use this to paint the inside of the pastry case, then return to the oven for two minutes more. Remove and set aside to cool. Turn down the oven to 120C/250F/gas mark ¼.
Once the tart case is cool, break the ricotta into small pieces and scatter all over the bottom of the tart case. Pour the lemony custard on top and bake again for 35-45 minutes at 140C/285F/gas mark 1, until the filling is set but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the tin, then remove. To serve, cover the top with raspberries and dust with icing sugar.
*Panna cotta, blood orange and cantucci*
Blood orange season will be over before we know it, so make the most of them while you can. These biscotti can be made well ahead of time – they'll keep in an airtight container for a good few days. I find it easiest to make the panna cotta a day ahead, then pop it in the fridge and forget all about it until it's time to serve; failing that, it needs at least four hours in the fridge to set. Serves eight.
For the cantucci
*180g softened butter*
*275g caster sugar*
*4 eggs, beaten*
*10g baking powder*
*½ tsp salt*
*500g '00' flour*
*½ tsp ground aniseed*
*175g almonds, roughly chopped *
For the panna cotta
*3½ gelatine leaves*
*700g double cream*
*475ml full-fat milk*
*140g caster sugar*
*1 vanilla pod, cut in half lengthways*
*4 blood oranges, peeled and cut into segments *
Start with the biscuits. Heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale, then add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Fold in all the remaining biscuit ingredients. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle and pipe it out on to the lined baking sheets in 5cm-wide logs, leaving a 3cm gap between them. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until slightly risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave until just cool enough to handle (they need to be still warm so they're easy to slice). Turn down the oven to 130C/260F/gas mark ½. Cut the cantucci diagonally into 1cm slices, spread out on the baking sheets and return to the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove and set aside to cool.
Now for the panna cotta. Put the gelatine in a bowl, add cold water to cover and a handful or two of ice cubes. Put the cream, 350ml of the milk and the sugar in a saucepan. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream, then drop in the empty pod, too. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat immediately and lift out and discard the vanilla pod.
Squeeze out the gelatine to remove as much excess water as possible, then add to the hot milk mixture. Whisk well, to dissolve the gelatine, then strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add the remaining cold milk, set the bowl over one of iced water and leave to cool, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
When the mixture is semi-set, pour into individual ramekins or timbales and refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
To serve, lightly warm the base and sides of the ramekins in hot water, turn out the panna cotta on to plates and serve with a few slices of fresh blood orange and the biscuits.
*Steamed ginger pudding*
To finish off, a dessert that's much closer to home. This is an updated version of a recipe from my 2011 book Angela's Kitchen. Serves eight.
*180g softened butter, plus extra for greasing*
*180g flour*
*6 tbsp golden syrup*
*3 tsp baking powder*
*180g caster sugar*
*60g stem ginger, plus 3 tbsp of the syrup from the jar*
*3 eggs*
Grease a one-litre pudding basin with a little butter, then pour in the syrup.
Put all the remaining ingredients into a bowl and mix with an electric whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared basin and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper. Take a large piece of foil, fold a pleat down the centre, then lay it over the pudding and tie in place with string.
Put the pudding in a steamer and steam for two hours: make sure the water is always at a slow simmer and top up with boiling water as necessary. To check the pudding is cooked, carefully lift off the foil and greaseproof paper, and insert a skewer into the centre: if it comes out clean, it's ready; if not, cover again with greaseproof and foil, and cook for 15 minutes longer.
Serve with cream or custard.
• Angela Hartnett is chef/patron of Murano, Cafe Murano and Merchants Tavern, all in London, and Hartnett Holder & Co at Lime Wood in Hampshire. Reported by guardian.co.uk 8 hours ago.
I can't think of a better way to end my stay on these pages than with something sweet. Well, three somethings, actually, and none of them that hard to make: a sort-of Italian take on the French tarte au citron; a panna cotta that takes full advantage of the joys of blood oranges; and a ginger pudding because who doesn't love a steamed pudding on a crisp spring day?
*Lemon and ricotta tart*
The ricotta adds a lovely richness to this not-so-traditional version of the classic lemon tart. Serves eight.
*4 medium eggs*
*200g caster sugar*
*175ml double cream*
*130ml lemon juice, plus the grated zest of 2 lemons*
*350g ricotta *
*200g raspberry*
*Icing sugar, for dusting*
For the sweet pastry
*330g plain flour*
*A pinch of salt*
*100g icing sugar*
*200g cold butter, cut into chunks *
*3 eggs*
First make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add the icing sugar, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, beat together two of the eggs, then add these to the flour mix and work with your hands until it comes together into a dough. Take care not to overwork it, otherwise it will become too hard and lose its crumbly texture. Wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest for at least an hour.
Meanwhile, get to work on the filling. Whisk the eggs and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then fold in the cream, lemon juice and grated zest, and set aside.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick – take care, because it's quite delicate – then use it to line a 24cm flan tin (fluted, if possible) with a loose base. Cover the pastry with parchment and fill with baking beans, then bake for 20 minutes, until just starting to turn golden brown. Remove the beans and parchment, cook for five minutes more, then remove from the oven.
Beat the remaining egg from the pastry ingredients, use this to paint the inside of the pastry case, then return to the oven for two minutes more. Remove and set aside to cool. Turn down the oven to 120C/250F/gas mark ¼.
Once the tart case is cool, break the ricotta into small pieces and scatter all over the bottom of the tart case. Pour the lemony custard on top and bake again for 35-45 minutes at 140C/285F/gas mark 1, until the filling is set but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the tin, then remove. To serve, cover the top with raspberries and dust with icing sugar.
*Panna cotta, blood orange and cantucci*
Blood orange season will be over before we know it, so make the most of them while you can. These biscotti can be made well ahead of time – they'll keep in an airtight container for a good few days. I find it easiest to make the panna cotta a day ahead, then pop it in the fridge and forget all about it until it's time to serve; failing that, it needs at least four hours in the fridge to set. Serves eight.
For the cantucci
*180g softened butter*
*275g caster sugar*
*4 eggs, beaten*
*10g baking powder*
*½ tsp salt*
*500g '00' flour*
*½ tsp ground aniseed*
*175g almonds, roughly chopped *
For the panna cotta
*3½ gelatine leaves*
*700g double cream*
*475ml full-fat milk*
*140g caster sugar*
*1 vanilla pod, cut in half lengthways*
*4 blood oranges, peeled and cut into segments *
Start with the biscuits. Heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale, then add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Fold in all the remaining biscuit ingredients. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle and pipe it out on to the lined baking sheets in 5cm-wide logs, leaving a 3cm gap between them. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until slightly risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave until just cool enough to handle (they need to be still warm so they're easy to slice). Turn down the oven to 130C/260F/gas mark ½. Cut the cantucci diagonally into 1cm slices, spread out on the baking sheets and return to the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove and set aside to cool.
Now for the panna cotta. Put the gelatine in a bowl, add cold water to cover and a handful or two of ice cubes. Put the cream, 350ml of the milk and the sugar in a saucepan. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream, then drop in the empty pod, too. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat immediately and lift out and discard the vanilla pod.
Squeeze out the gelatine to remove as much excess water as possible, then add to the hot milk mixture. Whisk well, to dissolve the gelatine, then strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add the remaining cold milk, set the bowl over one of iced water and leave to cool, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
When the mixture is semi-set, pour into individual ramekins or timbales and refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
To serve, lightly warm the base and sides of the ramekins in hot water, turn out the panna cotta on to plates and serve with a few slices of fresh blood orange and the biscuits.
*Steamed ginger pudding*
To finish off, a dessert that's much closer to home. This is an updated version of a recipe from my 2011 book Angela's Kitchen. Serves eight.
*180g softened butter, plus extra for greasing*
*180g flour*
*6 tbsp golden syrup*
*3 tsp baking powder*
*180g caster sugar*
*60g stem ginger, plus 3 tbsp of the syrup from the jar*
*3 eggs*
Grease a one-litre pudding basin with a little butter, then pour in the syrup.
Put all the remaining ingredients into a bowl and mix with an electric whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared basin and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper. Take a large piece of foil, fold a pleat down the centre, then lay it over the pudding and tie in place with string.
Put the pudding in a steamer and steam for two hours: make sure the water is always at a slow simmer and top up with boiling water as necessary. To check the pudding is cooked, carefully lift off the foil and greaseproof paper, and insert a skewer into the centre: if it comes out clean, it's ready; if not, cover again with greaseproof and foil, and cook for 15 minutes longer.
Serve with cream or custard.
• Angela Hartnett is chef/patron of Murano, Cafe Murano and Merchants Tavern, all in London, and Hartnett Holder & Co at Lime Wood in Hampshire. Reported by guardian.co.uk 8 hours ago.