1 10″ shortcrust pastry case
— thoroughly blind-bakec
2 Thin-skinned oranges
Honey and sugar
Stick cinnamon
Ground cinnamon
Allspice
1/4 pt Double cream
1/4 lb Fromage blanc (or see note)
-OR- Low-fat soft cheese
2 tb Ground almonds
Measure 2 tablespoons sugar into a bowl and stir in 4 tablespoons
boiling water. Add a cinnamon stick and 1/4 pint cold water. Scrub
the oranges, flute the peel lightly with a citrus zester and slice
the fruit thinly, discarding the ends. Remove pips (seeds), put the
orange slices into the sweetened water and leave to soak overnight.
Next day, turn the oranges and their liquid into a saucepan. Cover
and cook very gently for about 30 minutes. Carefully turn the slices
once they cook. Lift the cooked orange slices from the pan one at a
time, shaking to let the syrup drip back into the pan, and put them
on a rack to drain and become cold. Remove the cinnamon stick, then
boil the syrup until reduced to a few sticky spoonfuls. Cool slightly
then stir in the 1 tablespoon honey. Assemble the tart just before
serving. First sprinkle the ground almonds over the base of the cold
pastry shell. Sweeten and flavour the soft cheese by stirring into it
1 teaspoon or so of honey and a little each of ground cinnamon and
allspice. Whip the cream, fold in the sweetened and flavoured cheese,
then spoon this mixture into the pastry shell. Arrange the orange
slices on top, overlapping them slightly in decorative circles, and
glaze with the gently re-warmed syrup.
Yields
8 servings