Henny Penny Farmette

A Western Scrub Jay perhaps wonders when the birdseed will be replenished

A Western scrub jay darts into the yard, drops to the ground, and investigates the pottery saucer then pecks at small red berries that have fallen from the giant pepper tree along the back fence. The jay visits almost daily, but the rest of the wildlife seems to have taken cover, maybe because it’s so cold out.

The citrus trees have been covered for a few days with blankets and thick sheeting of black plastic since freezing temperatures are forecast for several days. It’s darn chilly and if the rain comes that is also forecast, we could see a dusting of snow around the top of Mount Diablo.

In early December, I walked around the farmette in shirt sleeves, but today it’s taken three layers of sweaters, two pairs of socks, and long johns under jeans to stay warm. You’d think I was dressing for a visit to Siberia.

This will be a short break. Indoors, I’m working on my own book and editing another one for a friend. My exercise period won’t be long, but at least a walk around the farmette gets blood flowing to my brain, exposes me to the sun for an all important daily dose of vitamin D, and allows me to breathe fresh air.  So even if it is only the jay keeping me company, the pleasure is all mine.

Flaky tarts piled high with fresh organic berries has always been for me a delightful way to end a summer meal. With the onset of winter now only eleven days away, I flip through my recipe files for something similar to those lovely summer tarts and hit upon an easy-to-make tart filled with dried fruits, nuts, and honey.

You can substitute or add other dried fruit (cranberries, figs, dates, and raisins, for example) to this tart, but I’ve found the best flavor comes from the dried peaches and apricots. They combine beautifully to create a richly flavorful dessert. A dollop of whipping cream on top adds a layer of decadence to this rich autumn tart.

Pastry Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (cut into pats or small pieces)

pinch of salt

1 large egg yolk

Directions for Pastry:

Combine pastry ingredients in a food processor with metal blade. Process until the mixture becomes a fine crumble. Add egg yolk and process into dough. Pastry should hold together, forming a ball.

Filling  Ingredients:

3/4 cup white dessert wine

3/4 cup honey

18-20 dried apricots and/or peaches

1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 cup blanched whole almonds

3 eggs

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup walnuts

Topping:

1 cup cream

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon of sugar

Directions for Toasted Almonds:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Toast blanched almonds on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Keep oven on for baking the tart.

Directions for Tart Filling:

In a stainless steel pan, add the dried fruit with the orange rind.

Pour over the fruit and rind half the wine and 2 Tablespoons of honey.

Cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until the fruit absorbs the liquid and plumps up, becoming soft  and plaint.

In a bowl, combine eggs, honey, remaining wine, vanilla, and butter.

Beat in the walnuts and almonds.

In a springform pan, press the dough as thinly as possible over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Drop the fruit onto the dough, spreading around over the bottom of the pastry. Pour in the nuts and egg mixture. Use a spatula to smooth the filling.

Bake the tart for 45 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.

Allow the tart to cool in its pan before removing and placing on a serving plate.

Whip cream until peaks form and fold in cinnamon and sugar. Put a dollop on top of each individual serving.

Serves 8.