Rustic Honey Nectarine Tart
This Rustic Honey Nectarine Tart saved me a little. Let me explain...
I spent an entire day in the kitchen on Friday, which is not unusual for me, testing a recipe for Japanese Cheesecake. Everything had been going perfectly all day so I was feeling rather confident and pleased with myself. The egg whites were a perfect consistency, light and airy with stiff peaks. The cream cheese mixture was a beautiful pale yellow from the addition of egg whites and had a lovely fragrance thanks to delicate vanilla extract. Yes, everything was going just as planned.
I folded the egg whites into the cream cheese, then scooped the whole lot into a prepared spring form pan. It was gorgeous, sure to come out perfectly after a little over an hour in the oven. About 5 minutes after plopping the cheesecake in the oven I realized that I completely left out a very important ingredient: flour. There was not a trace of flour in my cheesecake. There was no fixing this mistake. The time I had put into this somewhat intimidating recipe was tossed out the window with the dishwater, so to speak. Mistakes happen in cooking but it rarely gets easier, especially when it is something so completely ridiculous like leaving out an ingredient. Ugh.
When I got myself back in the kitchen on Sunday I was a tad apprehensive. I began with a simple slow cooker summer lasagna soup, which seemed like the easiest way to begin. Chop lots of vegetables, dump in some tomatoes and water, and set the timer. Easy. Next, I worked on this tart. Making the dough was therapeutic. I'm learning to really pay attention to how the humblest of ingredients come together to form something simple yet indulgent and comforting. Arranging the nectarines, drizzling them with local raw unfiltered honey, and folding the edges simply around the fruit made me so content. It's a little ridiculous, I know. But that's why I love what I do. It speaks to my soul.
I love rustic tarts because they are more relaxed than their more manicured counterparts. They don't require fancy pans, just a sheet of parchment and a sheet pan. And when they come out of the oven with that lovely golden crust that is perfectly imperfect, it makes me feel the way I want all food to feel: homemade, comforting, and authentic.
I added one final flourish to the crust before I popped it in the oven by mixing a little vanilla with the egg wash. The vanilla added just the right amount of sweet flavor without adding additional sugar. The fruit was not tossed with anything at all, just drizzled with honey I bought at the farmers market a couple weeks ago.
Failing with my Japanese Cheesecake inspired me to take a step back and revisit recipes that made me feel truly happy in the kitchen and at the table. I'll share the summer lasagna soup with you later this week (even the 2 year old ate every last bite not once, not twice, but THREE times!) but for now I hope this rustic nectarine tart brings you a little joy and comfort on this Monday morning the way it did for me.
Happy Summer my friends!
Rustic Honey Nectarine Tart
Makes one 9 inch tart
Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons furikake
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth.
- Scoop the butter onto a piece of parchment paper that is about 8 inches long.
- Roll the parchment around the butter and use your hands to mold it into a log about 6 inches long.
- When the butter is completely rolled up in the parchment, twist the ends and transfer to the refrigerator. Let chill for at least 2 hours.
