A Birthday Tart

Dad's birthday (age undisclosed) was back in September, and when I arrived I found they'd been busy picking apples, so decided to stick with the theme for a celebratory pudding.

Rifling through our collection of mostly very dated cookbooks, I found a recipe for a tart that had always looked intriguing thanks to it's rather delicate appearance. It's from an unassuming Sainsbury's desserts book, and goes by the name of '18th Century Tart'; an interesting combination of a rich egg-based filling and thin grated apple layer, encased in a pate sucree. With a bit of tweaking it turned out very well, and was declared delicious by the birthday boy. Even with just three of us in the house it didn't last very long.

18th Century Tart
Pate sucree
180g flour
110g butter
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 small egg yolk
few drops cold water

Filling
75g butter
75g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
grated rind of 1 orange
1 large cooking apple + the juice of the orange + 2tbsp caster sugar or
2 dessert apples

Rub together the butter ( straight from the fridge and cubed ) and flour in a large bowl, or pulse together in a food processor, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and if necessary a few drops of water by hand, until it holds together as a dough.

Wrap the dough with clingfilm and refrigerate.

If you're using cooking apples, soak in the orange juice and caster sugar whilst you make the filling. Just before using, squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands. If using dessert apples, wait until the last minute to grate them.

To make the filling, beat together the butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer, and add the egg yolks (beat them first separately) slowly, so the mixture doesn't curdle. Add the orange rind and set aside.

Roll the pastry out to about 4-5 mm thickness and use it to line a quiche/tart dish with a removable bottom, pre-greased and lined with a circle of baking parchment on the bottom.

Pour in the egg mixture, then top with the grated apple. If using cooking apples prepared as above, don't forget to squeeze out all their liquid!

Sprinkle with a little caster sugar and bake in the oven at 180∘ for 30 minutes.