Quince and almond frangipane galette with spelt pastry and lazy rum and sultana ice cream.
images by my wonderful friend Holly Wulf @ryelondon
Quince, almonds and a buttery crisp pastry. Three rather wonderful things make up this galette. A generous spread of almond frangipane gives it a good squidgy layer. The pastry is a spelt rough puff and has no shortage of butter. The tart itself is generous in size too so ensure you use a large tray to bake it. It will easily feed fourteen. I’ve even stretched it to 20 when serving it with the ice cream. It is delicious with or without the ice cream but a creamy element makes it a proper pudding in my eyes. Do not be daunted by the ice cream. There is no need for an ice cream maker nor any elbow grease. I call it lazy ice cream as it is so simple to make but if you don’t have the freezing time (overnight is best) I advise whipping up a pot of double cream with a splash of rum instead.
One word on the frangipane. I prefer to grind my own almonds in a food processor rather than using shop bought ready ground. The flavour is richer and the uneven texture adds a good bite.
Ingredients
For the Ice cream.
100g sultanas soaked in 100ml rum overnight
4 free range eggs
100g golden caster sugar
pinch of salt
300 ml double cream
For the quinces
3 medium sized quinces.
1 litre of water
150ml hazelnut liqueur (I like Frangelico)
100g dark muscovado sugar
1 tbsp runny honey
juice ½ a lemon
For the pastry
150 unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
250g spelt flour (plain flour works too)
large pinch of salt
2 tsp runny honey
120ml ice cold water
For the frangipane
200g blanched almonds (or skin on whole almonds)
150g unsalted butter, softened
100g golden caster sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 medium eggs
1 egg lightly beaten
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Method
To make the ice cream (the night before)
Separate your eggs, placing the white into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl.
Drain your raisins over a small bowl (keeping the rum)
Using an electric whisk beat the egg whites until frothy. Slowly add your caster sugar and continue to beat until glossy stiff peaks form.
Beat together your yolks and pour in the rum and pinch of salt.
In a separate clean, mixing bowl whisk your double cream until soft peaks form. (Note you do not want it stiff).
Fold the rum egg yolk mixture into the cream.
Take a large spoonful of your beaten egg whites and fold it into the cream to loosen the mixture. Then fold the cream into your egg white mixture adding the raisins half way though.
Pour into a freezer proof loaf tin or tray (I use a medium sized pyrex dish) cover the top with baking parchment then wrap with clingfilm and freeze. Your ice cream will be ready the next day. Feel free to make it up to three days ahead if you wish.
For the tart
Peel the skin off your quinces using a vegetable peeler. Quarter them and remove the core using a very sharp knife. Take care here as the quinces are very hard.
Squeeze lemon juice over the quinces and set aside.
In a large saucepan place your water, hazelnut liqueur, sugar and honey. Then add your quinces an bring to a gentle boil for roughly one hour. You should be able to pierce the quinces with a fork. Remove from the liquid and allow to cool. (You can also do this step the night before if you wish).
Next, grind your almonds for your frangipane by placing them in a food processor and pulsing until they resemble breadcrumbs. Set aside.
For the pastry combine your butter, flour and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add your water and honey and pulse again just until the pastry comes together. Wrap in cling film or beeswax cloth and chill until firm enough to roll. I often do this in the freezer to save time. It usually takes 20 mins or so.
To make the frangipane whisk your butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy using an electric whisk. Add your vanilla extract and whisk again. Then add your yolks and whisk on the slowest setting.
Add your freshly ground almonds and stir using a wooden spoon or spatula. Cover and chill until ready to use.
When your pastry is firm enough lightly flour a clean surface and roll it into an oval shape roughly to the thickness of a one pound coin. Transfer your pastry to a parchment lined baking tray.
Spread over the chilled frangipane leaving an inch border around the edge. Slice your quinces into 5mm slices and arrange on top of the frangipane. Fold over the edges of the pastry making sure it is hugged tight.
Place the tart in the fridge and hill for at least 2 hours. When you are ready to bake brush the pastry lightly with the beaten egg and sprinkle demerara sugar all over.
Preheat your oven to 180° and bake your tart for 1 hour. If the edges of the pastry begin to brown too quickly cover them loosely with foil.
Remove and allow the tart to cool for at least 15 minutes before dusting with icing sugar. Serve with ice cream and pouring cream and a little quince syrup if you like (see note).
To make a quince sugar syrup.
Whilst the tart cooks you can use the quince poaching liquid to make a sugar syrup. Take half the grams sugar to ml of liquid so if you would like to make 100ml syrup you will need 100ml of the poaching liquid and 50g of sugar. For this tart I usually use 200ml of the liquid and 100g sugar. Bring it to the boil and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
images by my wonderful friend Holly Wulf @ryelondon