Recipe: Late Summer Frangipane Tart

PIE-A-DAY #22

This week on the show, Evan talks to Ghillie James about getting the most out of your freezer.

For Pie-A-Day, she gave us this recipe for Late Summer Frangipane Tart.

You can use frozen fruit, store made-ahead pie dough in your freezer, and even freeze the whole tart if you’d like to bake it before you’re ready to eat.

Hear more freezer-related pie tips in this outtake right here.

Read below for James’ tart recipe, and click here to enter YOUR delicious pie (or pies) in the 5th Annual Good Food Pie Contest on Saturday, September 7th at LACMA.

Late Summer Frangipane Tart

(From Ghillie James’ The Foolproof Freezer Cookbook)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for dusting

12 ounces (1/3 quantity) Sweet Pie Dough (see below)

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups ground almonds

3/4 cup superfine sugar

3 large eggs

1 2/3 cups raspberries or blackberries, or a mix of both, frozen or fresh

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

This is the perfect prepare-ahead tart: it is stylish, light enough for a dinner party (you can make it in individual cases if you like), and comforting enough to end a Sunday lunch party, too. Using frozen berries means you can enjoy it all year round.

If using frozen fruits, remove them from the freezer so they can begin to thaw while you prepare the pie dough. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. On a floured counter, roll out the pie dough and use it to line a 91/2-inch diameter 1-inch deep loose-bottom flan pan. Scrunch up a piece of wax paper (it makes it easier to fit in the creases) and spread out over the pie dough. Fill with dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans from the pie shell and return it to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bottom has dried out. Remove from the oven and let cool. In a food processor, place the butter, almonds, and sugar and process until combined and creamy, about 20 seconds. Spoon over the pie shell and top with the berries and slivered almonds. Bake for 40 minutes, or until evenly golden. Cool.

Open-freeze in its pan, then transfer to a bag and refreeze.

Let stand for about 2 to 4 hours at room temperature.

Place in a preheated oven at 350˚F for 10 to 15 minutes.

Sweet Pie Dough

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, Makes about 2 1/4 pounds, softened

2/3 cups superfine sugar

1 whole large egg plus 1 egg yolk

4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 tablespoon cold water

In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and blend again. Add the flour and water, blend for an additional 5 seconds, then scrape down the side of the bowl and blend again until all the ingredients are just combined and forming a lump. Bring the dough together using your hands and then weigh and divide it into portions of whatever size you like. Wrap tightly in a freezer bag and label, then freeze.

Let stand at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours. Use as needed.