Henrietta Inman's recipes for spring-time tarts - MW

Hot smoked trout* and broccoli tart with seeded rye pastry (pictured above)
Prep 20 min
Chill 30 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 10-12

For the pastry
250g wholegrain rye flour
1 tsp flaky salt
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp caraway seeds
50g mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and linseed
125g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk to seal the pastry
1 tbsp whole milk

For the filling
3 tbsp rapeseed oil (I like cold-pressed)
2 bunches spring onions(about 220g), washed and finely chopped
300g whole milk
300g creme fraiche
6 eggs
2 tsp chopped thyme, optional
Salt and black pepper
300g purple sprouting broccoli, boiled for 1-2 minutes until just tender, then strained and patted dry
400g hot smoked trout (or salmon, if you prefer)

Heat the oven to 190C (180C fan)/gas 6. Butter the base and sides of a 24cm, wide, 5cm deep tart tin and line the base with baking paper.

Mix the flour, salt and seeds, rub in the butter with your fingertips, or use a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle, to form a breadcrumb consistency.

Add eggs and milk, and mix to form a dough. Toss the dough between two pieces of baking paper, roll it into the rolling pin, remove the tins, press the pastries on the sides of the tin, and rest for 30 minutes in the freezer.

Heat canola oil in a frying pan. Add scallions and ½ teaspoon salt, cook until soft, then allow to cool.

Combine milk, creme fraiche, egg, thyme, 1½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper, then add cold onions.

Fill the tart shell with baked beans or dry rice, and bake for 10 minutes, then remove the baked beans, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Finally, turn down the oven to 160C (fan 150C) / gas 3, brush the shell with egg yolks and bake for another two minutes

Fill the grill with layers of fish and broccoli, alternating between the two of the lawyers.

Top with a creme fraiche and egg mixture, and bake for about an hour, rotate the cake halfway through baking, or until just set with a little swaying. Set aside for a little cooling, then serve with steamed broccoli or mild watercress.

Leek, chives and stilton herbed spelled galette

Prep 30 min
Chill 30 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 8-10

For the pastry
245g wholegrain spelt flour, plus more to dust
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped sage
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tsp flaky salt
160g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
85g creme fraiche
1 egg yolk, for glazing

For the leek and shallot filling
400g banana shallots, peeled and quartered
5 tbsp rapeseed oil (I like cold-pressed)
Salt and black pepper
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
400g leeks, washed and cut into 1cm rounds
60g double cream
160g Colston Basset stilton, plus 100g to finish, rind removed and crumbled
2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to finish
1 tbsp chopped chives, plus extra to finish
1 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra to finish
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Heat the oven to 190C (180C fan)/gas 6. Combine the flour, herbs and salt. Add the butter and rub in with your fingers, or use a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until the mix resembles to breadcrumbs.

Add the creme fraiche, and mix until just combined into a dough. Roll the pastry between two pieces of lightly floured baking paper to form a roughly a 3mm-thick, 30cm diameter disc; the pastry shouldn’t be thicker than about 3mm. Rest in the fridge.

Toss the shallots in four tablespoons of rapeseed oil, season and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until caramel brown and soft. Roast the garlic cloves in the remaining rapeseed oil until soft and, when just cool, squeeze the flesh out of the skins and chop roughly.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook the leeks for a few minutes until just soft, strain through a colander, and set aside to cool. Mix the cooked leeks, shallots and garlic with the cream, cheese, herbs and vinegar, and season well.

Take the pastry disc out of the fridge, to soften it a little, then fill with the leek mix, leaving a 5cm edge free. Fold up these edges carefully, glaze with an egg yolk mixed with a pinch of salt, and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown.

Slice and serve with a mixed-leaf and russet apple salad; crumble over the last bit of stilton, and add some extra mixed herbs.


Rhubarb, blood orange curd and marshmallow-meringue wholegrain tart

Prepare 30 minutes
Relax for 30 minutes
Cook for 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 8-12

For cakes
95g of unsalted butter, cubed, plus greasy
150g whole wheat flour (I like Hodmedod wheat flour rib YQ)
1 pinch of salt
30g gold powdered sugar
2 egg yolks (keep the egg white for the meringue)

For rhubarb
400g rhubarb, cut into 4cm pieces
50g of powdered brown sugar
Orange peel and juice

Give the orange curd
90g yellow powdered sugar
4 eggs; 2 yolks, 2 whole
40g manhiche
Peel and juice of 2 blood oranges (80g juice)

For meringue
5 egg whites
300g gold powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 190C (fan 180C) / gas 6. Butter inside and base of a 24cm-wide, 2cm-deep tart box with butter, and line the base with baking paper.

For cakes, mix flour, salt and sugar, add butter, and rub with your fingers, or mix with a free mixer with a paddle to thicken the bread. Mix in egg yolks and knead to combine. Roll the dough between two approximately 3 mm thick baking paper, press into the tin, cut the edges (make the biscuit decoration if you like) and leave in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix rhubarb on a small tray with sugar, 120g of water, orange peel and juice, and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until tender.

For curd, mix sugar, yolks and eggs into a bowl. Put creme fraiche and orange juice in a pan, bring to a boil, then pour into egg. Pour back into the pan, and stir at low heat until thick enough to cover the back of a wooden spoon, or until it reaches 82C. Pass on a sieve, bake in the shell and let cool.

Remove the crust from the freezer, wrap the parchment paper, pour the baked beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans, roast for another five to 10 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from the oven. Brush the background and sides with the remaining egg yolk, bake for another two minutes, then allow to cool slightly.

Arrange rhubarb in case, and pour over curd. Turn the oven to low gas 130C (fan 120C) and bake for 10-15 minutes, until just set. Remove and set aside to cool a little.

For the meringue, beat the egg whites until firm, then beat in sugar until combined. Spoon on top of the cake slightly cold and bake for 20 minutes, until just set.

If you want, put the tart under the grill for a few minutes, or blow on the top for a little color. To cut, heat a sharp knife in hot water.


Honey, ginger and lemon with walnut pastries

Prepare 20 minutes
Relax for 30 minutes
Cook for 45 minutes
Serves 8-10

For oatmeal walnut pastries
80g unsalted butter cubes, cubes, plus oil
80g rolled oats
80g whole wheat or spelled wheat
40g light brown muscado sugar
70g grilled walnut, chopped
Spoon of salt
1 egg yolk

To fill up
500g of honey
Juice and finely ground of 2 lemons
200g breadcrumbs (preferably sourdough)
30g ginger, finely ground
80g of ginger body, chopped, syrup from jar to end

Preheat the oven to 190C (fan 180C) / gas 6. Butter the sides and base of a 24-inch-wide, 2-cm tart box, and line the base with parchment paper.

For cakes, combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, walnuts and salt, add butter cubes then rub with your fingertips or mix with a free mixer equipped with a paddle to uniform bread.

Mix in egg yolk, knead together, then roll dough between two baking paper pieces or on a dough surface about 3 mm thick and just wider than tin can. Roll into the tin, click on the edges and click on any pastry that protrudes into the tin. Rest in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Bring the honey, lemon juice and seashells to a boil, then remove the heat. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Remove the crust from the freezer, wrap parchment paper, pour baked beans and bake from frozen for 10 minutes. Remove the beans, roast for another 10 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from the oven.

Pour the honey-bread mixture, level the top and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the tart around halfway and bake for another 10 minutes or until just set.


Remove from the oven, comb with some ginger syrup, allow to cool slightly, and serve with double cream or vanilla ice cream and ginger syrup.

MW