Mandarin Ginger Tart

Mandarin Ginger Tart

Gluten Free
Serves 8

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour
p cup gluten free corn flour
p cup soy flour
150g butter, chilled and chopped
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 tbsp chilled water
1 Aussie Mandarin

Custard filling:
1p cups of soya milk
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1 tsp vanilla essence
cup caster sugar

Aussie mandarin ginger glaze:
1 cup of Aussie mandarin juice
2 tsp caster sugar
tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
4 Aussie mandarins, deseeded with the white pith removed

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease eight 10cm fluted tart tins.

Pastry Base - Sift flours three times. Mix flours, butter and caster sugar in a food processor until mixture resembles crumbs. Add water and process until mixture comes together. Turn dough onto a lightly corn floured surface and knead lightly. Wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll pastry out until 2mm thick and line tart tins. Line pastry with baking paper, fill with ceramic pastry weights or cooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes or until pastry is firm. Remove the weights from and baking paper.

Custard - Pour soy milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from heat. Whisk eggs, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until combined. Quickly whisk hot soy milk into the egg mixture and sieve if necessary. Leave to cool.
Pour the custard into the cooked pastry case. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until just set. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Glaze - Boil then simmer Aussie mandarin juice and caster sugar on a medium heat until glaze thickens. Add grated ginger prior to taking off the heat.

Plating - Top each custard tart with segments of Aussie mandarins, pour the glaze over the top and serve with cream.

Did You Know?
Mandarins provide 190% of an adult's recommended daily vitamin C intake and 240% of a child's intake
Mandarins originated from southern China and were named after the Chinese officials of the Imperial court the "Mandarins" who used the fruit for various medicinal purposes
Australian mandarins are available from April-October
The heavier a mandarin is, the more juice it contains

Buying and storage tips
Choose mandarins that have a fragrant aroma and are slightly firm to touch
Citrus fruits are more sensitive to the cold than other fruit varieties, so it's best to store them in a cool dry place with plenty of ventilation
Keeping mandarins out of the fridge also exposes them to a higher level of carbon dioxide which promotes ripening
If storing in the fridge, be sure to keep them away from meat, butter, eggs and cheese as these foods are particularly prone to absorbing citrus odour

Australian mandarin varieties include:
Imperial: Imperials are the most popular mandarin variety because they are the first to be harvested each season. This yellow-orange mandarin is available through autumn and winter and is easier to peel and contain less seeds than most varieties. Imperials are one of a handful of popular citrus varieties that originated in Australia, being first recognised in Sydney in 1890.
Murcott: Murcotts are available throughout winter and spring and are often referred to as 'Honey Murcotts' because of their intense sweet flavour.
Hickson: Hicksons originated in Queensland in 1941 and are the most common mid-season variety, known best for their brilliant bright orange skin. Hicksons are available throughout winter and become easier to peel later in their season when their skins become slightly puffy.
Afourer: Afourers are a deep orange-red variety that are available throughout winter and spring and are often known to be seedless, depending on growing conditions.
Daisy: Daisies are a popular variety due to their large size and bold, aromatic flavor. Daisies are available throughout autumn and winter and keep better than any other variety.
Taylor Lee: The Taylor Lee variety is another Australian bred, winter variety which is larger in size and contains less seeds, making it ideal for juicing and cooking.
Fremont: Fermonts are a smaller, slightly darker mandarin variety that is available throughout autumn and winter. Fermonts have a rich flavor making them a perfect addition to baking recipes and toppings for desserts.
Sunburst: Sunbursts are a deep red-orange variety that is available throughout autumn and winter. Sunbursts are a heavier variety with a high juice content which makes them ideal for fruit juicing.
Minneola: Mineolas are cross between a grapefruit and a mandarin, maintaining the larger size of a grapefruit with the remarkable sweetness of a mandarin. This slightly pear shaped mandarin is available throughout winter and spring.