Date Tart

Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake.

PASTRY: Put the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse until the mixture forms large clumps. Tip out onto a clean bench and form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured bench. Release from the bench if necessary with a spatula and fit into the greased tart tin. Press into the sides and base, patching any holes and trimming away any excess pastry. Prick the bottom lightly with the tines of a fork and put in the freezer for 5 minutes. Line the pastry with a circle of baking paper and fill with baking beans, weights or rice. Bake for 12 minutes, remove the baking paper and weights and bake for a further 8 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C regular bake.    

FILLING: Put the mascarpone, honey, cardamom, zest, egg and egg yolk in a food processor and pulse to combine, then pour into the pastry case. Arrange the dates on top and scatter over the almonds. Bake for 35 minutes, until just starting to turn golden around the edges and the custard is set.

TO SERVE: When cool, remove from the tin and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with a little honey and serve with the yoghurt and extra honey if desired.

DRINKS MATCH:
Pair the sweetness and richness of the dates, with the glorious creamy, sweet, salty flavours in the East Coast can of deliciousness that is the Sunshine Brewery Pineapple Salted Caramel Kettle Sour ($9.99 x 440ml). Crafted in a gose style, it’s just outstanding here. sunshinebrewing.co.nz