LUGHNASADH HARVEST TART

Lughnasadh is an ancient Gaelic festival celebrating the first harvest and the element of fire estimated around the time of 31st of July and 1st of August. It is a celebration and gathering honouring the God Lugh, the god of light, the light bearer, the symbol of Sun and the first grains of the harvest.

Lughnasadh is part of the 8 celebrations marking the shifts and transitions of the seasons and the energies held between the seen and the unseen, known as Imbolc, Samhain, Yule, Ostara, Belthane, Mabon, Litha. 

It also marks the middle time between summer solstice and the autumn equinox.

Honouring the day with this fruity and buttery harvest tart to express our gratitude to the fresh fruit produce of the season and welcome the abundance of the late summer time.

LUGHNASADH HARVEST TART

INGREDIENTS (makes a low tart of approximately 25 cm ⌀

FOR THE BISCUIT (base + bottom)

480 g all purpose flour
110 g cake flour
260 g good quality grass fed cow butter, cubbed and chilled
160 g confectioners sugar
4 pinches of crushed sea salt flower
2 eggs, at room temperature 

FOR THE FILLING

880 g fresh blueberries, or other seasonal fruit that is available in abundance at the region or country where you are
3 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 to 4 dustings of cornstarch, to act as sponge for the fruit juices. You could add slightly more cornstarch if the fruit you are using contains more water that will result in more juices after baking.

FOR THE EGG WASH

1 small egg
a dash of milk or heavy cream

EQUIPMENT

+ a low tart baking tin preferably with a removable bottom of approximately 25 cm ⌀
+ ceramic baking beads or beans, enough quantity to fill up the cell of the tart for the ‘blind-baking’ process.
+ a bowl large enough to mix the dry ingredients
+ a scale, a sieve and a wooden spoon
+ a rolling pin + cookie cutters in circular shape and stars
+ beeswax food wrap or plastic wrap
+ a small sieve for the corn starch dustings
+ baking tray + oven
+ your creative hands connected to the heart

PREPARATION 

In the mixing bowl, sieve together the all purpose and the cake flour. Add the confectioners sugar and the sea salt flower. Mix all dry ingredients well, using your hands or a wooden spoon.

Add the cubbed butter and mix it using your hands until all butter is incorporated into the dry ingredients to a flaky consistency.

Add the egg and bring all the flaky dough pieces together to create a compact ball of buttery dough.

NOTE: Depending on the size of the egg and the quality of the flour you are using you might need more liquid to merge all dough pieces together. If this is the case, just add a few drops of water to the dough and knead it thoroughly. Be attentive to not add too much water.

Divide the dough in two equal parts and form two thick disks of dough from each piece. Wrap the disks of dough in eco-friendly beeswax wrap or plastic wrap. Transfer the dough in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes until the butter hardens up and the dough comes together nicely.

TIP: You could also prepare the dough the previous day and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

After that time or the next day, roll out the dough to form a relatively thin sheet of approximately 0,3-0,5 cm in thickness and add it to the tart tin - that you have previously smeared with a thin layer of butter - and form a cell.

TIP: Transfer the cell in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to avoid the biscuit from deforming much while been baked in the oven.

Preheat your oven at 160°C.

Add a piece of parchment paper in the cell and add the ceramic baking beads or the beans to fill completely the cell of the tart.

Bake the tart cell in preheated oven at 160°C for 15 minutes with the beans. After this time remove the beans and bake the tart cell without beans for another 10 minutes.

When ready remove it from the oven and let the cell cool completely in the tart baking tin on a cooling rack before adding the fruit filling.

TIP: while waiting for the tart cell to cool, remove the second part of dough from the refrigerator to let it soften a bit and make it easier for you to work with it for the top layers and designs of your tart.

In a bowl, combine together the washed fruit and the sugar. Mix well - using a spoon - and add gradually the dustings of cornstarch while stirring the fruit all the while.

Transfer the fruit mix to the cooled tart cell and make sure it fills the cell completely.

Roll out the second part of the dough and create your moon cycle designs and the stars and decorate the tart. I invite you here to play around with whatever designs you feel called to create for this harvest tart that have a special meaning and intention for you during this season.

Smear the dough with some egg wash and bake the tart in preheated oven at 160°C for approximately 45 - 50 minutes until golden brown. 

Let the tart slightly cool on a cooling rack before slicing and serving it! ✨

TIP: This harvest tart goes well together with some vanilla ice cream or simple whipped heavy cream.

Love,

Alexandra