Beetroot Tarte Tartin

These little pastries are brilliant for any time you are busy, although I think with the red, white and green they are good for Christmas, especially as they freeze. We made them at the recent Canapease class and found out, if you are not keen on goat's cheese or Stilton, that they work with mozzarella too, so all tastes are catered for. They are pretty quick to make, so there's still time to get them in your freezer and they cook from frozen too - perfect.

Ingredients - makes 12

1/3 sheet Puff pastry

1 or 2 Medium sized cooked beetroot (fresh or pre packed)

1 Goat’s cheese roll (I used a small Soignon log from Waitrose)

Butter (for greasing tin)

60g Caster sugar

30ml Water

Fresh thyme

Seasoning

Olive oil or black truffle flavoured olive oil

Mini tartlet tin

Plain cutters, 5cm and 4.5cm approx

Method:

Cut some slices of the goat’s cheese and cut each circle in half.

If you are using fresh beetroot, heat oven to 190ºC. Drizzle a little olive oil over the unpeeled beetroot and wrap loosely in foil. Cook for about 40 minutes until they feel tender when pricked with a sharp knife. Allow to cool and peel. Pre packed beetroot works well too.

Cut the beetroot into approximately 0.5cm thick slices. Then cut each slice into 3 or 4 segments.

Season well and sprinkle with some chopped thyme. Set aside while you prepare the caramel.

Over a medium heat, stir the sugar in the water until it dissolves. Then bring to the boil and cook until it is a golden caramel colour - take care it doesn't burn.

Lightly grease the tins. Then spoon the caramel into the tins (a small spoonful in each one) and then neatly place 3 beetroot pieces on top.

There is no need to further roll the pastry, just cut out 12 circles with the larger cutter. Then gently press the cut pastry over the top of the smaller cutter to give the indent of the cutter. Roll the outer edge of pastry inwards.

Place the pastry circles on top of the beetroot. Store in the fridge or cook in the oven for 15 minutes at 180°c until golden in colour.

Allow to cool for a few moments and then run a knife round the tarts to loosen them. Turn the tin over onto a board and holding the tin firmly to the board with oven gloves, give them a good shake.

If they don't release scoop them out with a spoon and top with some goats cheese. Sprinkle thyme and parsley leaves over, season and drizzle with truffle oil or olive oil and serve.

Alternatively to freeze, top with the cheese, cool and open freeze until firm. Then store in a suitable container. To serve, cook from frozen at 190°c for 8-10 minutes until baking hot. Sprinkle with herbs, seasoning and drizzle with the truffle oil.

Notes:

These beetroot tarte tatins also make a delicious make ahead starter or lunch. Just prepare them a little larger and serve with a salad. They can be frozen. Just cook from frozen for 12-15 minutes and put the salad leaves on the top of the tarts. Stilton cheese crumbled on top is a good substitute for goats cheese.