“Uhh, jelly tart?”
–Ezran, The Dragon Prince
This recipe is made with persimmons, which we learn is what type the jelly filling is in season 1 episode 3 (thank you, Claudia), as Ezran leaves orange, persimmon jelly handprints on the huge picture frame that is actually a secret door (and then again on the stones in the secret tunnel). Oops, Ezran!
You might remember that before the premier of The Dragon Prince, I made jelly tarts based on what was shown in the trailers, which was a red filling, and concocted "Dragon Berry" jelly made from dragon fruit and raspberries and strawberries. The show often depicts the tarts with red filling, but I think that must simply be an artistic choice for color contrast. As soon as it was revealed to be persimmon jelly in the tarts, I knew I had to make them again. It took a lot of trial and error, but here they are! Try not to leave any sticky, tell-tale handprints anywhere. :)
According to the crew of The Dragon Prince, these tarts are inspired by hamantaschen: pastries enjoyed during the Jewish holiday of Purim. This year (the date is different each year), Purim happens to be March 20th––the day after Ezran's birthday! I wonder if the creators did that on purpose... :)
For more food inspired by The Dragon Prince try Gren's Birthday Strawberry Shortcakes, Claudia's Dark Magic Smoothie with Peanut Butter Whip! Stay-tuned for more recipes that were included in The Dragon Prince Recipe Zine (which is sadly sold out).
Note: Jelly is different from jam; it is made from the fruit juices and is smoother, whereas jam contains the fruit/fruit pulp. Because we're aiming for jelly tarts, the recipe includes straining the persimmon juice from the pulp.
If you can't find persimmons, or you don't have the time or interest to home-make jelly, feel free to simply buy a jar of your favorite jelly/preserves from the store and use it instead, with the crust in the recipe below.
Ezran's Persimmon Jelly Tarts
Ingredients:
Persimmon Jelly
3 Cups Diced Ripe Persimmons
2 Cups Water
½ Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
⅛ – ¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon, to preference
Tart Crust
2½ Cups Flour
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
¾ Cup (1½ sticks) Chilled Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes
¼ Cup Ice Water
1 Egg, well beaten, for egg wash
Raw Sugar, for sprinkling (granulated white sugar is fine)
Directions:
Persimmon Jelly: In a large pot on medium-high heat, bring the persimmons & water to a boil. Turn down to medium-low, cover, & simmer until the persimmons are soft. Mash well with a potato masher & simmer a bit longer until the mixture is very soft & pulpy.
Strain the mixture very well through a fine mesh strainer or flour sack/cheese cloth. You should have about 1¾ – 2 cups of liquid. Pour the liquid back into the pot & bring to a boil on medium-high. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, & cinnamon. Cook until the mixture thickens & measures 220ºF on a candy thermometer, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, & to deter the liquid from bubbling over. Pour the liquid into a shallow, heat resistant dish to help it cool quicker while you work on the crust.
Tart Crust: In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, & salt. Using your fingers, rub in the cubed butter until the mixture is crumbly. Drizzle in the water & cut it in with the side of a spoon until the mixture just comes together in a shaggy dough. Mound the dough together & then split in half. Wrap each half in a large sheet of plastic wrap, flattening into discs about ½-inch thick. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Pre-heat your oven to 375ºF. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove 1 of the doughs from the fridge & roll to about ⅛-inch thickness (it will be crumbly to begin with but will soften up). Using an overturned bowl that is about 5-inches in diameter or a 5-inch diameter circle template cut from card-stock, cut out 6 discs from the dough & lay on the tray, re-rolling the dough as needed.
Building & Baking: Spoon about 1 Tbsp. of the persimmon jelly into the center of each dough circle & spread to within ½-inch of the edges. Fold 3 sides of each disc towards the center to create a triangle, overlapping the edges slightly & leaving a triangle opening in the center. Pinch the corners well to close.
Brush the tarts lightly with the beaten egg & sprinkle with sugar. Bake on the middle oven rack for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden & the jelly center is bubbling. Remove to a cooling rack. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough & jelly. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 12 tarts.
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