Michel Roux's Salted Caramel Walnut Tart

Ingredients

• Sweet pastry
• 450 g flour
• 150 g butter
• 90 g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp cream
• Filling
• 125 ml single cream
• 150 g salted butter
• 150 g liquid glucose
• 300 g caster sugar
• 75 ml water
• 300 g walnuts (shelled weight)
• Crème fraiche to serve
• 300 g crème fraiche
• Zest of 1/2 an orange
• Zest of 1/4 pink grapefruit

Instructions

1. 1

   First, make your sweet pastry. Mix the butter and flour together in a bowl with your fingertips, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Next, add the sugar and mix well. Gradually add the egg yolks and cream until the dough starts to come together. Tip the mixture out onto the surface and push the dough down with the heel of your hands until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1- 2 hours.

2. 2

   Remove 1/3rd of the pastry for the lattice top and roll into a 25cm circle. Place on a lined tray in the fridge to keep cool. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface to around 5mm thick. Lift the pastry into a deep-fluted 23cm (9inch) tart tin. Press the pastry in around the inside edges and run a rolling pin over it to trim the edges.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 180°C fan setting. Place a tray in the oven to heat up.

4. 4

   Bring the single cream and butter to the boil in a pan and set aside. In a deep, heavy-based pan, mix the glucose and sugar with the water and place over a high heat. Stir well with a spatula and cook until a rich brown colour. Remove the pan from the heat and then slowly pour in the cream and butter, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Finally, add the walnuts and stir well to combine. Remove from heat and leave to cool.

5. 5

   When the filling has cooled, pour it into the pastry-lined tart tin. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into 1cm lines. Create a lattice top using the strips of pastry and roll your rolling pin over the edges to trim off the excess pastry.

6. 6

   Place the tin on the tray and place it on the middle shelf in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little before removing the tin.

7. 7

   Mix the crème fraiche with the zests and stir well. Cut the walnut tart into slices and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche alongside.