Whipped Goat's Cheese and Fig Gluten-free Tarts

Serves: 10 peopleRecipe course: StartersTotal time (min.): 175
Whipped Goat's Cheese and Fig Gluten-free Tarts.jpg Whipped Goat's Cheese and Fig Gluten-free Tarts.jpg

Tools

Stand Mixers

Ingredients

For the pastry:

280g plain flour, plus extra for dusting   
¼ tsp salt
60g xanthan gum
60g butter, cubed and cubed
100ml water
200g butter, cold
 
For the topping:

200g goat’s cheese                
100g cream cheese                               
50g whipping cream                               
1 tbsp honey                                          
2 tbsp fresh rosemary                            
Salt and pepper, to taste        

To decorate:

4 figs                                       
50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp honey                                         
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, destalked                    
1 egg, beaten                                         

Method

1 - To prepare, line a baking tray with parchment paper and fit the K-Beater to the machine.
2 - Make the gluten-free pastry. Add the flour, salt, xantham gum and 60g of the butter into the Mixer bowl, then attach to the machine and fit the splash guard.
3 - Mix on speed 1 for about 2 minutes until large clumps have formed.
4 - While the machine is running, gradually pour in the water and mix on speed 1 for 1 minute until the mixture comes together.
5 - Wrap the dough and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6 - Lightly dust a piece of parchment paper.
7 - Place the remaining 200g of butter in the centre, then fold the parchment paper over to cover.
8 - Roll the butter into a 10cm square block, then wrap the butter in parchment paper and leave in the fridge for at least 15 min to chill.
9 - Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a 15-20 cm round.
10 - Place the chilled butter block in the centre of the dough and use a knife to lightly score the pastry around the edges of the butter. Set the butter aside.
11 - Lightly dust the surface of the dough with some flour and roll out the dough from the scored lines to create 4 thin edges and a thicker centre.
12 - Place the butter back in the centre and fold the thin edges over the top. Press the dough to seal in the butter.
13 - Dust the surface of the dough, then roll the dough into a long rectangle approx. 2 cm thick (the rectangle should be around 3 times as long as it is wide). Re-flour the work surface if it begins to stick.
14 - Fold the short side closest to you up one third of the way, then fold the top down to meet the bottom edge.
15 - Turn the pastry block so the folded edge is on the left-hand side.
16 - Repeat the rolling and folding fold process 4 times, chilling for 15 minutes between each.
17 - Roll out the chilled pastry to 2 cm thick, then use a knife to cut the pastry to the desired shape and size.
18 - Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking tray and leave in the fridge to chill.
19 - For the filling, attach the Mixer bowl and fit the whisk.
20 - Add the goat’s cheese, cream cheese, whipping cream, honey, rosemary, salt and pepper (to taste). Mix on speed 4 for roughly 1 minute until light and fluffy.
21 - Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
22 - Remove the chilled pastry from the fridge. Use a knife to lightly score a border around 1 cm from the edge, then lightly score a crisscross pattern inside the border.
23 - Add roughly 1 tsp of the cheese filling onto the pastry base and spread out slightly.
24 - Decorate with sliced fresh figs and hazelnuts. Drizzle a little honey and sprinkle of fresh rosemary if desired. Brush the exposed pastry sides with the beaten egg and bake at 190ºC for 15-20 minutes until golden and risen.
25 - Serve.