Cakes & Bakes: Marzipan-stuffed prune flan

Marzipan-stuffed prune flan

Every so often, I treat myself to a bag of Agen prunes. In my opinion, they’re far superior to the usual supermarket prunes. They’re great straight out of the packet and chopped up and added to a bowl of porridge or cereal. I also like cooking with them – like I did with this marzipan-stuffed prune flan.

Sherry-soaked Agen prunes

I made a few little tweaks to the original recipe that I found in my Cordon Bleu Winter Puddings cookery book.

Cordon Bleu Winter Puddings cookery book Prune flan recipe in the Cordon Bleu Winter Puddings cookery book

Special Agen prunes aren’t necessary for the dish; any dried, whole, pitted prunes are suitable. I used an equivalent quantity of Pedro Ximénez sweet sherry instead of the red wine stipulated. I also substituted the redcurrant jelly for some damson jam given to us at Christmas by a neighbour. Feel free to swap the original ingredients back in, if that’s what you’d prefer!

Prune flan glaze made with sweet sherry and damson jam

This dish, at first, may seem a bit of a convoluted one to make. Don’t be put off, just break things down into phases; it’s well worth the effort. If necessary, some stages can be done days in advance; soaking the prunes and making the almond pastry.

Almond pastry ingredients in a food processor Almond pastry and beech wood rolling pin on a marble board Almond pastry flan case

You could even make it the day before you plan to serve it. Be aware though, because of the cream and the egg white, the flan should be kept chilled in the fridge.

Stuffing Agen prunes with marzipan Flan case, marzipan-stuffed prunes and custard cream

The flan is rich and decadent, a lovely dessert course for a dinner party. Serve a slice at the end of the meal accompanied by a glass of sweet sherry or other dessert wine such as Muscat or Madeira.

Slice of marzipan-filled prune flan

Click here or on the image below to save this prune flan recipe to Pinterest

Marzipan-stuffed prune flan recipe

Marzipan-stuffed prune flan

Marzipan-stuffed prune flan

Cordon Bleu - Winter Puddings
Course Dessert
Cuisine French

Ingredients
  

For the prune topping

  • 350 g/¾oz prunes
  • ¼ pt sweet sherry
  • 3 tbsps damson jam

For the pastry

  • 170 g/6oz plain flour
  • 45 g/1½oz ground almonds
  • 45 g/1½oz caster sugar
  • 115 g/4oz butter cold, cubed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1-2 tbsps cold water

For the custard cream

  • 1 rounded tbsp custard powder
  • 150 ml/¼pt whole milk
  • 150 ml/¼pt double cream
  • 1 tsp caster sugar

For the almond filling

  • 60 g/2oz ground almonds
  • tsp caster sugar
  • egg white beaten

Instructions
 

For the prune topping

  • Soak the prunes in the sherry for 2-3 hours
  • In a lidded saucepan, simmer the prunes in the sherry until tender
  • Lift the prunes our of the saucepan using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool
  • Cut the prunes carefully down one side and remove stones (ignore this step if you bought pitted fruit)
  • Add the damson jam to the liquor and set on a low heat to melt, whisking and straining at the end, if necessary, to get a smooth glaze

For the pastry

  • Using a food processor, pulse together the flour, ground almonds and caster sugar with the cold cubes of butter. When the mixture looks uniformly crumbly, add the egg yolk and sprinkle a tablespoon of cold water evenly over the top and continue to pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball. Add another tablespoon of water if necessary
  • Cool the ball of pastry, in a zip-lock bag, in the fridge for half an hour to an hour
  • Roll out the pastry and line a 18-20cm/7-8" diameter flan dish
  • Set aside to cool

For the custard cream

  • In a small saucepan, mix the custard powder and milk to a paste. Using a wire whisk, stir over a gentle heat until boiling
  • Tip into a steep-sided mixing bowl and whisk well
  • When well cooled, whip the double cream, sweeten with the sugar and fold into the custard

For the almond filling (marzipan)

  • Using a (mini) food processor, pulse together the ground almonds, caster sugar and egg white until it forms a ball
  • To bring everything together
  • Carefully stuff each prune with about a teaspoon of the marzipan
  • Fill the cooled flan case with the custard cream mixture, spreading it evenly
  • Arrange the filled prunes evenly over the top of the custard cream trying to cover it completely
  • Brush or spoon the glaze over the top
  • Slice and serve
Marzipan-stuffed prune flan ingredients
Keyword flan, fruit tart, marzipan, prunes

Cakes & Bakes: Marzipan cake

Home-made marzipan cake | H is for Home

You may remember that I baked some jammy marzipan tartlets a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to use up the marzipan that I had left over. What better way than this easy marzipan cake?

Cubed marzipan, butter and caster sugar | H is for Home

I found an easy almond cake recipe by The Domestic Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson.

Adding eggs to batter in a food processor | H is for Home Pouring batter from a food processor into a baking tin | H is for Home

She used a ring mould tin – something that I have stored away in my cake tin drawer but gets little use. As I was greasing it – and it needs a LOT of greasing to get the cake out whole – Justin piped up, “Oh no, not the dreaded bundt tin!”. The last time I used it, he complained at how dry the cake turned out.

Cooked cake in a ring cake tin | H is for Home

That wasn’t a worry this time – probably due to the addition of an entire pack of butter! It was moist, soft, fragrant, delicious.

Home-made marzipan cake with slice removed | H is for Home

Click here or on the image below to save the marzipan cake recipe to Pinterest

Home-made marzipan cake | H is for Home #recipe #cake #almond #marzipan #almondcake #baking #cooking #cookery #bundt #bundtcake #ringcake

Marzipan cake
Serves 10
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 250g unsalted butter, softened
  2. 250g marzipan, softened
  3. 150g caster sugar
  4. ¼ tsp almond essence
  5. ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  6. 6 large eggs
  7. 150g self-raising flourHome-made marzipan cake ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 170ºC/150ºC Fan/325ºF/Gas mark 3
  2. Chop the butter and marzipan to make them easier to break down, and put them in the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the double-bladed knife, with the sugar
  3. Process until combined and pretty well smooth
  4. Add the almond essence and vanilla extract. Process again
  5. Break the eggs one at a time through the funnel, processing again each time
  6. Tip the flour down the funnel, processing yet again, and then pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula
  7. Bake for 50 minutes, but check from 40
  8. When the cake looks golden and cooked and a skewer comes out cleanish, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before turning out
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H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/

Cakes & Bakes: Jammy marzipan tartlets

One of my home-made jammy marzipan tartlets with a cup of tea | H is for Home

When I asked Justin what he fancied me making for this week’s Cakes & Bakes item, he replied: “I like jam, I like almonds, I like pastry.” So, that was my mission set; I’ve come up with jammy marzipan tartlets.

Round of pastry dough sliced into 6 portions | H is for Home

There are three stages to the method; the pastry, the marzipan and then the filling… four, if you count the bringing it all together.

Putting jelly into pastry cases | H is for Home Putting marzipan into pastry cases | H is for Home

Consequently, this means you can make the pastry and marzipan days – or even weeks (they can be prepared and frozen) –  in advance if needed; making the filling and finishing off on the day.

Tartlets before going into the oven | H is for Home Tartlets after coming out of the oven | H is for Home

The recipe is similar to a Bakewell tart – using marzipan rather than frangipane.

6 home-made jammy marzipan tartlets in a muffin tin | H is for Home

I have a cupboard full of my different home-made jams & jellies, so I chose a jar of mixed berry jelly for the bottom layer. If some of your jam/jelly bubbles up and leaks over (like half of mine did), don’t allow the tartlets to cool completely in the tin before trying to remove them. Unfortunately, my jelly set like cement and it was impossible to prise them out in one piece.

Tartlet with a cup of tea | H is for Home

Despite this, they were gorgeous, bite-sized morsels of sweetness… and went down a treat with a cup of tea. I’ll be making these again!

Jammy marzipan tartlets recipe | H is for Home  #baking #cooking #cookery #jamtart #jellytart #marzipan #pastry #recipe #sweettart #tart #tartlet

Save my jammy marzipan tartlets recipe to Pinterest

Jammy marzipan tartlets
Yields 6
Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 50 min
Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 50 min
For the pastry
  1. 90g/3oz plain flour
  2. 36g/1¼oz 'tant pour tant' (18g/⅔oz icing sugar + 18g/⅔oz ground almonds)
  3. pinch of salt
  4. 65g/2¼oz very cold butter, cubed
  5. ½-1 tbsp cold water
For the marzipan
  1. 150g/5oz ground almonds
  2. 200g/7oz icing sugar + extra for rolling
  3. 2 tsp almond extract
  4. 1 egg white
For the filling
  1. 100g/3½oz ground almonds
  2. 45g/1½oz caster sugar
  3. 2 eggs, beaten
  4. ½ tsp almond essence
  5. 1 tbsp fruit jam or jelly
  6. 15g/½oz flaked almondsHome-made jammy marzipan tartlets ingredients
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For the pastry
  1. Put the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds and salt into a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine
  2. Add the cold butter and pulse again until you get to the fine breadcrumb stage
  3. Whilst still pulsing, add the ice cold water until the mixture begins to get lumpy - like dry scrambled eggs
  4. Empty the pastry into ziplock bag and seal
  5. Form the dough into a ball by bringing it all together, still in the sealed ziplock bag, as if you’re making a snowball
  6. Chill in the fridge for ½ to 1 hour - you can use this time to make your marzipan (directions below)
  7. Once the pastry is chilled, grease a 6-hole muffin tin
  8. Lightly flour your work surface, remove your ball of dough from the fridge, unwrap and divide it into 6 equal pieces (about 20-22g each)
  9. One by one, roll each piece of dough into a ½cm thick round shape. Cut into perfect circles with a cookie cutter (or upturned drinking glass if you don't have one) that's slightly wider than the hole of your muffin tin. **Rolling each pie case individually means that you don't overwork the pastry by re-rolling over & over again**
  10. Gently press the pastry rounds into the muffin tin holes (handy hint: use a small lump of pastry to do this if you have long fingernails!)
  11. Set aside while you make the filling
For the marzipan
  1. Put the ground almonds, icing sugar, almond extract and egg white into a food processor and combine until a thick ball of dough is formed
  2. Turn the paste out onto a work surface and knead it a few times. Roll it into a short, fat log (you want the diameter to be slightly smaller than the pastry case base). Wrap the log tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for ½ to 1 hour - you can use this time to make your filling (directions below)
For the filling
  1. Put the ground almonds and caster sugar into a bowl and combine
  2. Add the beaten eggs and almond essence and combine well
To finish
  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4
  2. Spread a generous layer of jam/jelly onto the bottom of each tartlet pastry case
  3. Remove the marzipan log from the clingfilm, Slice off 6 x ½cm rounds. Any unused marzipan will keep for a month in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer
  4. Place a round over the jam/jelly in each of the tartlet pastry cases
  5. Spoon over enough filling to just below the rim of the pastry case
  6. Sprinkle the top with a few flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the filling is baked through and golden-brown all over
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes in the muffin tin. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
  8. Dredge a little icing sugar over the tops
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H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/

Cakes & Bakes: Paasstol

Slices of home-made paasstol | H is for Home #recipe #paasstol #Dutch #DutchCuisine #Easter #baking #sweet bread

It’s Maundy Thursday so we’ve chosen a lovely Easter recipe to share today. In past years, we’ve made a hot cross loaf and simnel cupcakes – today it’s paasstol.

Dried fruit soaking in dark rum | H is for Home

Paasstol is a traditional Dutch sweet bread eaten around Easter. For some reason, now lost in the mists of time, when the exact same bread is eaten at Christmastime, it’s referred to as kerststol.

Ingredients to make almond paste | H is for Home

It’s a yeasted loaf full of mixed, dried fruit with a log of almond paste or marzipan enveloped in the middle.

Sweet bread dough | H is for HomeKneading sweet bread dough | H is for HomeWrapping paasstol dough around almond paste | H is for Home

I used a combination of raisins, currants and sultanas. However, you can choose to add candied peel, dried cranberries or succade. People sometimes add chopped or nibbed nuts to the equation – the choice is yours!

Uncooked paasstol | H is for Home Cooked paasstol | H is for Home

To finish, brush the top generously with warm, melted butter and dust with icing sugar. To consume, slice whilst still warm, spread with even more butter and enjoy with a lovely cup of tea!

Paasstol brushed with melted butter and dusted with icing sugar | H is for Home

Click here to save the recipe to Pinterest

Paasstol
Serves 12
For the almond paste
  1. 100g/3½oz ground almonds
  2. 100g/3½oz icing sugar
  3. 1 large egg white
For the dough
  1. 600g/21oz mixed dried fruit (I used raisins, currants and sultanas)
  2. 3tbsp dark rum
  3. 500g/18oz plain or strong bread flour
  4. 10g salt
  5. pinch of cinnamon
  6. pinch of ground cardamom
  7. 25g/1oz dried yeast
  8. 200ml/7 fl oz milk, lukewarm
  9. 100g/3½oz sugar
  10. 100g/3½oz melted butter
  11. 1 egg, beaten
  12. zest of ½ lemon
To finish
  1. melted butter to brush
  2. icing sugar to dredgeHome-made paasstol ingredients
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For the almond paste
  1. Put the ground almonds, icing sugar and egg white into a food processor and, using the chopping blade attachment, combine for about a minute until a ball of marzipan is formed
  2. Cover in cling film and set aside while you make the dough
For the dough
  1. Soak the dried fruit in the rum for at least an hour, stirring every so often so all the fruit comes into contact with the liquid
  2. In a measuring jug, stir the yeast into the lukewarm milk until dissolved.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt and sugar
  4. In another small measuring jug, mix the egg with the melted butter and lemon zest
  5. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients and mix using the dough hook. Knead for 5-7 minutes on a low setting, until the mixture comes together to form a soft, smooth and slightly sticky ball of dough
  6. Cover the mixer bowl with a damp tea towel or cling film/plastic bag and leave in a warm place to prove for half an hour
  7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle
  8. Discarding any rum that hasn't been absorbed, sprinkle the soaked fruit evenly across the dough
  9. Roll the dough up and gently knead by hand for about 5 minutes until the fruit is evenly distributed throughout
  10. Put the fruited dough back into the mixer bowl, recover with the damp tea towel or cling film/plastic bag and leave in a warm place to prove for a further hour
  11. After rising, turn the dough out onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  12. Form the dough into a rectangle about 3cm thick
  13. Shape the almond paste into a log around 1cm shorter than the rectangle of dough
  14. Place the almond paste log in the centre of the dough and fold all four sides of the dough over. Roll gently back and forth to seal the edges
  15. Recover with the damp tea towel or cling film/plastic bag and allow to rise for another half an hour
  16. Brush the bread with milk and put it in a preheated oven at 180ºC/ºF/Gas mark
  17. Bake for 40 minutes
  18. Allow to cool on a wire rack
  19. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the icing sugar
  20. Slice and serve
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