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Nepali spiced fruit and nut tart

Name: Nepali spiced fruit and nut tart
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Ingredients: unsalted butter 225g, softened; icing sugar 4 tbsp; egg yolks 2; plain flour 350g, sifted; cornflour 2 tbsp, sifted; unsalted butter 80g; soft light brown sugar 85g; eggs 2; vanilla extract ½ tsp; ground cinnamon ¼ tsp; grated nutmeg ¼ tsp; plain flour 100g, sifted; baking powder ¼ tsp; spiced rum 1 tbsp (optional); desiccated coconut 20g; crystallised ginger 20g, chopped; dried apricot 50g, chopped; dried mulberry 50g (optional); dates 100g, pitted and chopped; blanched almonds 50g, chopped; brazil nuts 50g, chopped; walnuts 50g, chopped

1 hour 45 minutes
serves 8-10
Easy

Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger give this nutty tart a real festive edge. With a kick of spiced rum, it's a grown-up dessert that's perfect for Christmas

By Rajiv KC

Published: November 29, 2021 at 5:01 pm

This fruit and nut tart recipe is written by Nepalese chef Rajiv KC.

Rajiv says: “Electricity was scarce during my childhood in Nepal. We used to make this tart in a gas hob using deep pots and pans. The recipe has changed over the years, most particularly after I first discovered the joy of ovens. I had a school friend whose family owned a bread factory, supplying freshly baked bread and cakes to the local shops. Whenever I visited my friend’s place, the whole building would be covered in this intoxicating aroma of fresh bakes. This is where I first tried baking in an actual oven, with the ingredients that were available, hence the birth of this more improvised version. It has now become our family tradition to bake this tart during gatherings and at Christmas time, with variations depending on the seasonal fruit and nuts you can get your hands on.

Baking has now become a daily lifestyle for most Nepalese households, as they have the internet at their fingertips. It has been my absolute honour to share this recipe with you. I hope you all enjoy this tart with your friends and family, and it brings a smile to your faces, just like it has all these years in my family.”

Ingredients

PASTRY

unsalted butter 225g, softened
icing sugar 4 tbsp
egg yolks 2
plain flour 350g, sifted
cornflour 2 tbsp, sifted

PASTRY FILLING

unsalted butter 80g
soft light brown sugar 85g
eggs 2
vanilla extract ½ tsp 
ground cinnamon ¼ tsp 
grated nutmeg ¼ tsp 
plain flour 100g, sifted
baking powder ¼ tsp 
spiced rum 1 tbsp (optional) 
desiccated coconut 20g
crystallised ginger 20g, chopped
dried apricot 50g, chopped
dried mulberry 50g (optional)
dates 100g, pitted and chopped  
blanched almonds 50g, chopped
brazil nuts 50g, chopped
walnuts 50g, chopped

Method

Step 1

For the base, combine the butter and icing sugar in a mixer and cream until light. Add the vanilla extract and egg yolks, and continue beating. Mix in all the sifted flours and ¼ tsp of fine salt, and knead lightly to form a dough. Wrap and chill for 15 minutes.
Step 2

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured worksurface to 0.7cm thick. Use to line a 24cm tart tin, fixing any cracks or gaps with excess pastry as needed. Prick with a fork and line with baking paper, then add baking beans to fill. Bake for 20-25 minutes then remove the beans. Fix any cracks with left-over pastry and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Step 3

For the filling, cream together the butter and sugar in a mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, baking powder, rum and a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt. Mix until well combined. Add the coconut, ginger and the rest of the dried fruits and nuts, and mix well using a wooden spoon.
Step 4

Pour the mixture over the pastry, making sure it’s level. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is cooked through. Once cooled, serve with pouring cream or custard.