I unfortunately do not have the space for a kitchen garden right now. One day, I would love to be able to grow my own vegetables to cook with. However, I am lucky that my dad has begun to dabble in edible gardening of late and I am occasionally gifted some of the overflow.
This is how I ended up with a bag of cumquats and no idea how to cook them!
Please don’t make this recipe without an action plan for devouring it. Because you could be presented with the problem my husband and I faced when I had finished baking this creation: once you’ve had one powerful punch of a mouthful, you can’t stop. It’s really dangerous.
It’s so tangy and sweet at the same time. Sticky, too. If you’re left with a bag of cumquats off your garden tree, I would highly recommend using them to make this recipe. They’ll be gone in no time!
Cumquat Tarte Tatin
Ingredients
- 360g fresh cumquats
- 180g caster sugar
- 180g unsalted butter
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry
Directions
- Preheat oven to 180° Celsius. Grease an ovenproof frying pan with spray oil (or springform tin if you don’t have a frying pan that you can put into the oven. If using a tin, line the outside of the tin with foil).
- Slice the cumquats into rounds (about 4 slices per cumquat, depending on size) and deseed.
- Place sugar and 45ml water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on a low heat. Melt without stirring and bring to a simmer, shaking the saucepan occasionally so the sugar doesn’t catch.
- Add the fruit and cover, and simmer for 5 mins.
- Remove the fruit from the saucepan with a slotted spoon. Bring the syrup to a boil for 5 mins. Shake the pan occasionally.
- Add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon constantly, still on a high heat, for 10 mins until the syrup thickens.
- Arrange the cumquats on the base of your frying pan / springform tin artfully to provide an even layer. It looks best if you place cut side down.
- Pour over the sauce.
- Cover with a sheet of puff pastry. Tuck in the edges neatly. Cut several holes in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape.
- Bake in the oven for 30 mins until pastry is golden and puffed. Once removed, flip the tart onto a serving tray so that the cumquats are presented on the top of the tart. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
pumpkin and pear 