There are so many things that I should have given up for Lent. I should have given up turning on the radio, reading newspapers, believing politicians, thinking that the daft cunts were politicians in the first place, having faith in the basic goodness of the human race….and so many more. But, in the end, I didn’t. It would not be untrue to say that recent events have left me so deeply, truly and madly ennervated that, as far as the written word is concerned, I have been rendered speechless which is a state that I rarely, even while that privilege of free movement still hangs on like a mobile milk tooth clinging to the last fragile threads of attachment, freely choose to visit. However, I’m home again. Still oozing bile but happy to be in a sunny kitchen, shouting at the radio and up to my elbows in flour and butter. Why are people urged to get out of the kitchen if the heat is too much for them…open the fucking window, down a glass of chilled wine and get on with tossing your hot things in bubbling butter. Making food to enjoy and eat in the sun is my today and I’m consigning all the other stuff to history. Up I have given.
A bowl of deep yellow yolks nestling in a mound of unctuous creme fraiche when beaten together with a tablespoon of sugar becomes the corner stone of this dish. I say cornerstone but, on second thoughts, the golden cream is the cement that firmly holds the slices of sweet apple in place in a shell of the shortest, sweetest pâte brisée. This is the Irma la Douce of sweet tarts and is to be found in Patricia Wells’ “Bistro Cooking”. I urge you to give up giving up and get on and make it…..nunc est edendum.
Golden Cream and Apple Tart….Tarte aux Pommes à la Crème
adapted from a recipe by Patricia Wells in “Bistro Cooking”
3large egg yolks
185ml crème fraiche
60gms sugar
1 pâte brisée shell pre baked and cooled
4 cooking apples such a Granny Smiths ( about 750gms) I used sweet apples which worked for me
Preheat the oven to 190C.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the creme fraiche and half the sugar and beat together until well blended.
Peel and core the apples. Cut them into quarters and the quarters into two or three slices depending on size of the apples.Starting from the inside edge neatly layer the apples is concentric circles. Pour the cream mixture over the apples and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Bake in the centre of the oven until the cream filling is set and the apples are very brown, even slightly burnt at the edges…about 45mins.
Food, Photography & France 
Oh, delish….
…best one I’ve made for a while:)
Shame I’m so far away….
🙂
I gave up years ago, but regardless, that’s a good looking tart – I bet it didn’t last long 😉
long lasting is a bad sign in a fruit tart:)
Perfection – both the tart and the sentiments expressed.
many thanks, Victoria…glad you enjoyed it:)
Giving up political cunts too. And that tart is magnificent.
It’s the only way forward…:)
How very lovely to have you back, Roger! I’ve missed your rants.
Thanks, Mel….the tap turned itself off…don’t know why:)
Cooking is great therapy as far as I’m concerned . That’s a great looking tart.
It works for me, that’s for sure…..:)
I’m so glad to see the beautiful result of that very promising looking Instagram photo yesterday. Share your other sentiments as well. Nothing to do but eat cake, or tart 😉
Just follow the Marie Antoinette diet:)
You truly gave me a shock, reading your heading, as to whether you were giving up on us too !!! Worst Easter present I could imagine! Hmmm: frustrated that you are ‘oozing bile’ but hopeful the bad taste will soon disappear from your mouth! Won’t make the cake but will wish you a contented holiday period . . . .
Many thanks, Eha…couldn’t ask for more:)
Always eat the dessert first!!!
Very good advice:)
Fabulous looking tart (a moniker I’d be happy with myself). So glad you’ve not completely given up – it does feel that human nature has taken a nosedive recently. I’ve stopped actively reading or listening to the news and, though I can’t avoid it completely, it has improved my sanity! When I do see the worst of it all, I now purposely look for the sub plot where someone has done something to help. Like the clinicians who apparently *ran* towards the scene of carnage on Westminster bridge. Loving the vitriolic slant channelled into your writing though – gives your posts even more of an edge!
Glad you’re feeling the same… or do I mean sorry😀
Turn that radio off and find something more pleasant to listen to while you cook. In a similar frame of mind, I recently gave up news of any kind- TV news, radio, newspapers, the Guardian online, the whole lot. I’ve enjoyed the respite, though bits still creep in. It has made me more creative. I listen to Indian Ragas, old and new music-other stuff.
Welcome back, keep writing and ranting and cooking- we are all on the same side.
Cheers, Francesca……nice to hear from everyone again….seems we’re all pretty pissed off about the same things:)
I love Patricia Wells’s books – there are so many recipes I come back to again and again…. Barcelona grilled artichokes is one of them – have you tried that? As for politics, I just hope that the people of Europe – or what’s left of Europe – will see sense at the forthcoming elections!!
Thanks for commenting….I haven’t tried the Barcelona grilled artichokes and, as I love artichokes, I’m most certainly going to try it….and fingers crossed for the French election.
The recipe is in Patricia Wells at home in Provence – if you don’t have that book, you can find the recipe on my blog. Let me know if you’d like me to send you the link.
I have the Provence Cookbook…oh yes, I’ve just google “At home in Provence” and I haven’t got that one. Yes, please send me a link to your blog as I’d love to try it. I’m a great fan of her books and her Bistro Cooking rarely leaves the kitchen:)
I just looked for the recipe on my blog, and realised that I promised too much, the artichoke recipe on https://midihideaways.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/a-is-for-artichoke/ is not for Barcelona grilled artichokes – I’m sorry. The recipe is very simple though – 1 tbsp of lemon juice, 3 tbsp of olive oil, two cloves of garlic crushed, salt. Make a marinade with those ingredients, then toss the prepared and sliced artichokes with that and leave to stand until you are ready to grill them. I have grilled them on the BBQ and in the oven – BBQ gives a nicer taste but is more fiddly… Enjoy!
Sounds very good indeed….the simpler the better with such good ingredients. Thanks for taking the time to send me the recipe.