Tarte aux Noix du Perigord

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190°C conventional heat. Lightly grease a 12-14 cm tart tin. If the walnut halves are large, roughly break about half of them so the filling slices more neatly while keeping some attractive larger pieces for the top.

2. 2

   Make the pastry: rub the plain flour, cold diced butter, caster sugar, and salt together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk, then add just enough cold water to bring the dough together. Do not knead; stop as soon as it forms a smooth mass, which keeps the crust tender.

3. 3

   Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper to about 3 mm thick, line the tart tin, and press it neatly into the corners. Trim the excess. Chill or freeze the lined shell for 10 minutes so it holds its shape in the oven.

4. 4

   Line the chilled pastry with baking paper and baking weights or dried beans, then blind-bake for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, then bake 5 minutes more until the base looks dry and just lightly golden.

5. 5

   While the shell bakes, make the filling. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, caster sugar, double cream, butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves; do not boil hard. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes so the egg does not scramble.

6. 6

   Whisk the whole egg in a bowl, then gradually whisk in the warm cream-honey mixture until smooth. Fold in the walnuts, coating them evenly.

7. 7

   Pour the walnut filling into the partially baked tart shell and spread the nuts evenly. Bake at 180°C for 18-20 minutes, until the filling is puffed at the edges, lightly bronzed, and still has a slight wobble in the center; it will finish setting as it cools.

8. 8

   Rest the tart in the tin for 10 minutes, then unmould carefully and serve warm or at room temperature. For the cleanest slices, let it cool a little longer before cutting.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If the pastry softens while lining the tin, chill it briefly before baking; cold pastry gives sharper edges and less shrinkage.
• •A small loose-bottom tart tin works best for easy unmoulding.
• •Serve with creme fraiche or lightly whipped cream if desired, though the tart is rich enough to stand alone.
• •For deeper walnut flavour, toast the walnuts for 5-6 minutes at 170°C before using, then cool before mixing into the filling.

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