Panna Cotta Fresh Peach Tart

Ingredients

• 163 g plain (all purpose) flour ((1+1/4 cups / 6oz) )
• 85 g almond meal (almond flour) ((3oz) )
• 1/3 cup icing (Confectioners / powdered) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 113 g unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes ((1 stick / 1/2 cup) )
• 1.5 - 2 tablespoons ice water ((20-30ml)(notes))
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar ((notes))
• 125 g cream cheese
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 peaches roughly sliced
• 1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
• 1 tablespoon boiling water ((notes))
• 2.5 - 3 peaches, halved and thinly sliced

Instructions

1. 1

   --- FOR THE TART SHELL ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line the base of a 9 inch round fluted tart tin with baking paper.

3. 3

   Add the almond meal, flour, sugar, ginger and salt to a food processor and blitz until well combined. Add the butter and blitz for only 15-20 seconds until the mixture is like large breadcrumbs. Slowly drizzle in the water while the processor is running on low and stop as soon as it starts forming large clumps.

4. 4

   Pull together into a disk, wrap in baking paper or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for ½ an hour.

5. 5

   Dust a large sheet of baking paper with flour, sit the dough on top and dust the top with flour. Roll it out to a large circle about 3mm thick.

6. 6

   Rest your whole arm underneath the pastry and baking paper to lift it. With the other hand hold the tin and base together with one finger and thumb and tip it upside down over the pastry as you flip the pastry towards it, then flip it back up the right way. Carefully pull away the baking paper, then nudge the pastry down into the corners. Trim the overhang with a pair of kitchen scissors to just 1 cm above the lip of the tin and make the dough sit up straight. Freeze for 15 minutes

7. 7

   Prick the base all over with a fork, then line with baking paper and baking weights. Bake for 20 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove the baking paper with baking weights. Use a sharp knife, laid flat to the top edge of the tin, to cut away the excess pastry. Brush the inside of the tart shell all over with beaten egg white. Bake for a further 20 minutes. Any hairline cracks are fine.

9. 9

   As soon as the tin is cool enough to handle, place the shell in the freezer until cold - this will help the panna cotta set more quickly and reduce the risk of leaking or soaking into the base anywhere.

10. 10

    --- FOR THE CREAM CHEESE PANNA COTTA ---

11. 11

    Pour half of the cold milk into a saucepan and sprinkle over the gelatine and leave so the gelatine can soften.

12. 12

    In a bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar with a handheld beater until smooth, then slowly dribble in the remaining milk a little at a time while still beating on low until you have what looks like thin cream. Mix in the salt.

13. 13

    After about 5 minutes, the gelatine should be looking all wrinkly on top of the milk in the saucepan. Turn the heat on underneath on low and stir until the gelatine has dissolved (only a couple of minutes, you don't even need to simmer).

14. 14

    Add it to the cream cheese mixture. Mix to combine, then strain it all back into the saucepan. Pour about ½ cup over the base then place in freezer to set for 15 minutes (this is to get a quick set layer to totally seal the base). Add remaining panna cotta to the base and place in fridge for about 2 hours.

15. 15

    --- FOR THE PEACH LAYER ---

16. 16

    Place the water, sugar, ginger and roughly chopped peaches into a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring it to a simmer for 5 minutes then turn the heat off. Use the spoon to press down on and break up the peaches a little, then leave it to sit for 1/2 an hour to infuse. Now strain the mixture, discarding the peaches.

17. 17

    Mix the boiling water and gelatine together until the gelatine has completely dissolved. Pour it into the peach syrup and stir well.

18. 18

    Carefully arrange the peach slices over the panna cotta. Now slowly pour the jelly over the top making sure it gets into all the cracks.

19. 19

    Return to the fridge and allow to set for at least an hour before serving (notes)