London Fog Tart
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yields: Six 3-inch tartlets, or one 9-inch tart
Author: Ireland Lindsay
Ingredients:
For the pastry:
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
For the frangipane:
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 + 2 tablespoons (70g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (78g) almond flour
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 egg, cold
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the infused caramel:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely ground earl grey tea leaves
For the earl grey cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, or one vanilla pod
1/4 teaspoon finely ground earl grey tea leaves
FOR THE PASTRY:
INTO the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well combined and lightened in color.*
*Unlike a traditional pie crust, you want to well incorporate the butter, and avoid large unmixed portions throughout.
ONCE combined, add in flour and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until just combined, the mixture will look like wet sand. Add the egg yolk and continue to mix at low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just comes together.
DIVIDE into 2 even portions and wrap tightly with clingfilm. Place in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
FOR THE FRANGIPANE:
INTO the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Add in egg and mix.
ONCE thoroughly combined, add in both flours (almond and all-purpose) and mix until homogenous. Transfer to a piping bag, or leave in the bowl, and place in the refrigerator till ready to use. This is a great time to prep the pastry molds.
PREPPING THE MOLDS & FILLING THEM:
TO prepare the molds, sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll the pastry dough till 1/2 to 1/4 an inch thick, making sure to rotate the pastry as you roll, and flour as needed.
FOR the tartlets, cut out a large circle 2 inches bigger than your tart rings, carefully fit and mold your circle into the rings, once fitted cut off the excess. For the large tart, once rolled 1/4-inch-thick, roll onto the rolling pin to transfer to the tart pan. Mold and fit the tart pan, then cut off any excess pastry.
PLACE the fitted tart rings (or tart pan) into the refrigerator to let set for 30 minutes, this will give the gluten a chance to relax and make de-molding your pastry easy later on.
PREHEAT oven to 350°F and prepare a standard baking sheet with parchment. Take your frangipane filling out of the fridge at this time to soften.
ONCE 30 minutes has passed, cut 1-inch from the tip of your piping bag and pipe your frangipane filling in the center of your tarts filling up to about the halfway mark.
BAKE your tarts at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until just golden in color. Let cool till ready to assemble.
FOR THE INFUSED CARAMEL:
INTO a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium/high heat until it begins to turn an amber color (it may seem like it isn’t changing colors but keep your eyes peeled, because once the mixture starts to turn in color is can burn very easily!) During the process avoid stirring, rather swirl the pan to ensure that it cooks evenly.
ONCE you’ve achieved an amber color turn off heat and stream in heavy cream, be careful, due to the hot sugar coming into contact with the cream the mixture will spit and sputter. Add in butter, salt, and vanilla and finely ground* earl grey tea leaves and mix until fully combined.
*As far as how small the leaves should be ground imagine you’re eating the tart and you bite into a big ole tea leaf. Not fun. We want the leaves to be big enough to contribute flavor but small enough you don’t notice the texture. Follow your baker’s intuition!
SET aside to cool completely, feel free to place it in the refrigerator to speed up the process. For assembly, the caramel needs to be cooled, or at least no residual heat left.
FOR THE EARL GREY CREAM:
ADD heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and finely ground tea leaves to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. NOTE: Make just before assembly.
TO ASSEMBLY:
ONCE your tarts emerge from the oven, they should be slightly golden, and the frangipane filling will have risen ever so slightly. Spoon a thin layer, about a tablespoon or so, into the center of your tart followed by a loose quenelle of earl grey cream. Congrats dude- you just made a London Fog Tart like a PRO!
BEST eaten the day of but can be stored in the refrigerator covered for up to 4 days.
Recipe by @IreBakes
