How To Make TARTS

Instructions

Pistachio Cream Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Combine the amaretti biscuit crumbs with the coconut and cinnamon (if adding) and
   stir in the melted butter. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23 cm)
   round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then
   cool.
3. If the caramel is fluid or spreadable when chilled, spread this carefully over the
   bottom of the cooled tart shell. Slice the pears and arrange them over the caramel.
4. For the pistachio cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese until smooth and beat in
   the icing sugar, scraping down the bowl often. Beat in the crème fraiche, lemon juice
   and vanilla, followed by the pistachio cream, beating by hand until smooth. Fold in the
   whipped cream and spread this over the pears to cover and level. Chill this for at least
   2 hours.
5. Pipe the whipped cream over the chilled tart, around the outside edge or in an arc.
   Arrange the fresh berries overtop and finish with a sprinkling of pistachios. Chill until
   ready to serve.

Amaretti Biscuits Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C) and line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Whip the egg whites on high speed until foamy, then slowly pour in the sugar while
   whipping, continuing to whip until the whites hold a medium peak.
3. In a separate bowl, stir the ground almonds, icing sugar and cornstarch. Add half of
   the almonds to the whipped whites and fold in, then repeat with the remaining half. Stir
   in the almond extract.
4. Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large, plain tip and pipe 1-inch cookies
   onto the prepared trays, leaving an inch in between each cookie.
5. Let the cookies sit for 10 minutes to air-dry then bake them for about 20 minutes, until
   they just start to brown a little. Let them cool completely on the tray before storing in an
   airtight container.

The amaretti biscuits will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Pistachio Cream Recipe

1. Pulse the pistachios and oil in a food processor until it turns into a smooth paste.
2. Add the icing sugar and salt and continue to pulse until even smoother.
3. Transfer to a jar and keep refrigerated.