If I was to pick my favourite styled shoot, or most appetising food I had made or styled. I would hands down pick this tart. It is the perfect balance of flavours and textures. It was to die for. The perfect summers tart.
The peaches were cooked to perfection, I roasted them prior to putting them on the tart. I roasted them with fresh thyme, honey, cranberry juice and a tiny bit of sugar. They were killer. I had to stop myself from eating the peaches before I had made the tart.
I made a lemon ricotta filling, which to my surprise was tastier then I expected. But the lemon flavour was complementing the fresh thyme.
Also I used honey for the sweeter of this tart because compared to sugar you can taste the artificial sweetness. Where I find honey nicer to eat because you can taste sweetness but it taste natural.
So to find those honey spools I looked throughout my towns op shops, for months. I finally found it at a small cooking store. I would have these visions in my head of props and styled shoots it would look good with. I would buy little tools like this, and just have them tucked away somewhere waiting for the perfect moment I could use them.
I love all the different coloured hues of the peach skins, all orange and pink. Like they are all sunset colours.
I love all the colours in this styled shoot, even the tie dye back drop. I found it in my basket of materials, I thought to myself I haven't used this material yet. So I decided to use it and it turned out to be a hit.
Yum! The roasted peaches, soft but still crisp at the same time.
I love shots like this, with props in the front of the focused subject. The tart is blurry, and the honey jar and spool are in focus but they are not at the front of the shot.
Just feast your eyes!! I love these colours and styling so much <3
Lets begin the assembling of the tart.
Recipe:
Ricotta Lemon Thyme Peach Tart
Sweet shortcrust Pastry
Poaching Liquid:
2 cups cranberry juice
1/4 cup sugar
zest orange
3 cinnamon quills
2 vanilla pod
1 tsp manuku honey
sprigs of fresh thyme
Filling:
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Method:
Pour all ingredients into a baking dish with the peach slices. Make sure all the peach slices are covered. Roast the peaches at 150 degrees for 90 minutes. Turning the peaches every 20 minutes to get even cooking.
Once cooked set aside and allow to cool.
For the filling, beat ricotta and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add eggs one at a time. Vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
Grab your pastry and bring it to room temperature. Because this is an enriched pastry, it is easier to spread it by piecing it together with your fingers.
Place the pastry dough in the centre, begin pushing down on the dough, and gradually filling up all the gaps using your thumbs mainly.
Make sure you keep pressing until the pastry is the same thickness all around the tart tin. Begin your blind baking.
Pull the tart out of the oven when it has finished its blind baking and add the ricotta filling.
Bake the filling and tart at 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes or just until only the middle is jiggling. Allow to cool completely.
Place your roasted peaches on top of the cooled tart. Dust with icing sugar and garnish with thyme sprigs.
Yum yum xx
