Prune and Apple Galettes

Yield > 6
Keys : French France European Mediterranean Warm
Ingredients :
flaky pastry made with 175g
plain flour and 110g butter (qv
flaky pastry)
15 x mi icuit prunes halved
lengthways
11 x Coxs apples (unpeeled)
1 x little ground cinnamon
2 tbl runny honey
cream or creme fraiche to serve
2 x 30 x 25.5cm solid baking
sheets lightly greased
10 x cm pastry cutter
Method :
• Make the pastry as described and chill for 30 minutes in
the fridge.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm
cut out six 10cm discs and arrange them on the baking sheers.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to gas mark 7/425F/220C. Cut
each apple into quarters core and then cut each quarter into
two.
• Arrange five prune halves and four slices of apple in a
circle on top of each pastry round then sprinkle over a little
ground cinnamon. Place the baking sheets in the oven for 10
to 12 minutes one tray on the highest shelf the other on the
next one down until the galettes are golden brown swapping
them over halfway through.
• Remove from the oven and while they are still warm
glaze each one by brushing a little of the runny honey over the
prunes and apples. Serve warm with cream or creme fraiche.
• These are exceptionally pretty to look at and I like to
serve them as a sweet ending to a special meal Theyre a bit
more trouble but still very easy to make and assemble.
• Make the pastry as described on page 119 and chill for
30 minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile find a lidded saucepan
that will fit the pears comfortably laying them in the pan on
their sides. Now mix the wine with the sugar and pour this
over the pears then add the cinnamon stick and tfz vanilla.
pod. Put the lid on the pan and gently simmer the pears for 45
minutes until tender when tested with a skewer. Turn them
over halfway through the cooking time so the other half sits in
the wine and they colour evenly. Towards the end of the
cooking time preheat the oven to gas mark 7 425F (220C).
Then roll the pastry out to /e inch (3 mm) thick and cut it into
six 4 inch (10 cm) circles then arrange them on the baking
sheets.
• Now lift the pears from the liquid and halve them by first
making a slit in the stalk as you press it on to a flat surface.
Then stand each pear upright and cut through the split stalk
halve the pears and remove the cores. Now you need to slice
each half into a fan so take a sharp knife and scatting from the
top of the stalk end about Sh inch (1 cm) in slice the pear
downwards and at a slight angle so you end up with the slices
of pear fanning out but still attached to the stalk. Now place
each half pear on to a pastry base and fan it out then place the
baking sheets in the oven for 10-12 minutes one on the top
shelf the other on the next one down swapping them over
halfway through the cooking time.
• Meanwhile you need to reduce the poaching liquid so first
remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla pod then place the
saucepan over a high heat and let it bubble for about 5
minutes. Then in a cup mix the arrowroot with a little cold
water until you have a smooth paste then add this to the
saucepan whisking with a balloon whisk all the time. This will
thicken the sauce slightly then remove it from the heat and
leave it to cool.
• When the tarts are ready remove them from the oven.
Serve hot or cold but just before serving pour a little of the
sauce over each tart to give them a pretty glaze.
• If you can get micuit plums the lovely squashy half dried
Agen prunes from France so much the better. If not then pitted
dried Agen prunes will be fine.
• Serves 6