Maple Syrup and Pecan Tart

I've been wanting to make a pecan pie for some time now, but I haven't had a great deal of spare time lately. Also, I am trying to watch my weight and pecan pie is not exactly a diet-friendly dessert. The fact that BB and CC don't like it that much also meant that basically I was going to be making a pecan pie - for me. Oh, the greed.

I finally got the maple syrup and was lazy and bought a ready-made all-butter pie crust from the supermarket.  I had a copy of Jamie's Dinners to hand and was looking through it and came across this wonderful recipe for Maple Syrup and Pecan tart. I have traditionally made pecan pie by whisking eggs, maple syrup and pecan nuts together and then baking it in a pastry crust. But you will see, dear reader, that Jamie's recipe contains no eggs, but even better than that this is a lovely pie made lighter than the usual pecan pie with the addition of apple, orange rind, breadcrumbs and wait for it, ginger ! It certainly makes for a rather different pecan pie, but you know what - it made a nice, welcoming change.

Here's a picture of the dry ingredients before being added to the syrup and butter. You can see the breadcrumbs, pecan nuts, grated apple and orange zest. Yum!

I have been eating it all weekend, so tomorrow the rest of it will be taken to work to be shared amongst the boys. If you fancy a change from the heavier, traditional pecan pie I would definitely recommend this.

This is Jamie's picture not mine - mine is at the end and is definitely not as good as this one - Dammit!

Serves 6-8 (or one in my case - Ha!)

Shortcrust pastry 55g/2oz butter
340g/12oz maple syrup
3 tablespoons golden syrup
170g/6oz breadcrumbs, half fine, half coarse
zest of 2 oranges
2 Cox's apples, grated
a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 handfuls of shelled pecan nuts
optional: crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream
optional: a handful of thyme flowers

First of all, make your pastry, then line a 28cm/11in loose-bottomed tart tin with it and place in the freezer for an hour. Preheat the over to 180C/350F/gas 4. Take the pastry case out of the freezer and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Heat the butter, maple syrup and golden syrup together in a pan, then mix in the breadcrumbs, orange zest, apples, ginger and half the pecan nuts. Spoon into the pastry case and sprinkle over the remaining pecans. Put back in the oven and bake for around 20 minutes. Lovely served with some crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with thyme flowers.

NOTE: My pre-made, shop-bought pastry crust was quite small and I could tell by looking at it that I would not use all of the filling stated above, so I did actually use half the ingredients indicated above, so one apple, one orange, a small amount of ginger, half the breadcrumbs and syrup(s) and it completely filled the pastry case. So, if you get a shop-bought one you may need to do the same....

My picture - not as good as Jamie's is it ??

Heritage Gifts and Enamel Bakeware

For some time now I have been covetting the enamelware that Jamie Oliver uses often in his Thirty-Minute meal television programmes that are currently airing on Channel 4. He uses all sorts of enamelware - cups, baking trays, colanders, little pie dishes. And so, I thought to myself - I want some of those !

I will often have a little thought like that, and then make a mental note to check out the cookware aisles of the supermarket as I do my shop, and also, obviously, to check out the charity stores when I pass by them. So, I have been doing that.

I keep telling myself that I did once see them in Sainsburys, but when I looked again and then checked on-line, I found nothing....
So, it happens that it was this past Friday evening when I said to myself, it's time to get online and buy some enamel bakeware ... and this is what I found.

I had already checked out the Lakeland selection.They do a Traditional Enamel 20cm Pie Dish for £2.99. delivery on this though will set you back £4.25 ...

Then I went to another online favourite - Amazon.
They will sell you a Falcon Enamel 20cm Oblong Dish also for £2.99, but this time delivery is only £1.20. A saving dear friends of £3.05, which would actually buy you Jamies Little Book of Big Treats which I think looks like a cute little cook book - and it's for charity. Say no more.

But ..I have not finished yet...Oh no, Siree ! For when I carried out ye old Googley search, I found the site that would beat all others. Proudly presenting... http://www.heritage-gifts.co.uk/ a company based up in Stroud in Gloucestershire. Their Falcon Enamel 22cm Pie Dish is only £3.01, and delivery is only £3.50.

I was able to order the following:

Falcon Enamel 8cm mug
Falcon Enamel 22cm Pie Dish
Falcon Enamel 28cm Bake Pan


Falcon Enamel16cm Pudding Basin  (I got two of these - perfect for Christmas Pudding gifts)


All of this for the grand total of £12.30, with £3.50 for delivery = £15.80 in total.
 
What excellent value. I placed the order on Friday evening, received the usual confirmation emails etc, and the consignment arrived today and it's only Tuesday. The package was extremely well wrapped, the invoice correct. All of the items are lovely - and I cannot wait to start using them !!
 
So, Heritage Gifts - you are my STAR of the week.