Chinon Apple Tarts

Alright, to start making that luscious red wine jelly, grab a medium saucepan and pop in the red wine along with the jam sugar. Toss in all those warming spices: star anise, clove, cinnamon stick, allspice, and the split vanilla pod along with its fragrant seeds. Give everything a gentle stir to combine all those lovely flavors. Now, place the pan over a gentle heat so the sugar can dissolve nicely without rushing things. Once the sugar has fully melted, crank up the heat a bit and let the mixture bubble away, boiling for about 20 minutes. You want it to reduce down until it's thick and syrupy, almost like a glossy glaze. When it looks just right, carefully strain the jelly into a small sterilised jam jar to remove the spices, then leave it to cool completely. This jelly keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a month, so you can make it ahead and enjoy its rich, spiced notes whenever you like.

Next up, bring your puff pastry out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. This little break makes it easier to unroll without cracking. Once it's pliable, unroll the pastry gently on your work surface. Meanwhile, preheat your grill to high and set your oven to 180C (160C fan) or gas mark 4. Now, using a plate or any round object about 13cm in diameter as a guide, cut two circles from the pastry. Place these circles on a non stick baking sheet. Sprinkle each circle generously with about a tablespoon of sugar,this will caramelise beautifully under the grill. Slide the tray under the grill and keep a close eye on them for about 5 minutes. You want the sugar to melt and bubble into a golden caramel without burning, so watch carefully and don't wander off! Once caramelised, take the pastry out. At this point, you can actually prepare these a few hours ahead of time; just cover them and leave them out of the fridge until you're ready.

Now for the apples. Peel, quarter, and core them, then slice very thinly,aim for about 2mm thick slices. The thinner, the better, as they'll cook down gently and arrange beautifully over the pastry. Lay the apple slices in a pretty overlapping pattern on top of each caramelised pastry circle. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the apples,that little touch of sweetness will help them soften and caramelise in the oven. Pop the tarts into your preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You're looking for the pastry to be golden and cooked through, and the apples to be tender and slightly glossy. Once done, pull them out and let them cool just a bit so they're warm but not too hot to handle.

While the tarts are cooling, warm up about 3 tablespoons of your homemade red wine jelly in a small pan over low heat. Add a teaspoon of water to loosen it just a bit; you want it to be silky enough to brush on easily. Then, lovingly brush this glossy jelly all over the warm apples and pastry,it adds a gorgeous shine and a burst of rich, spiced flavor that really lifts the tart.

Finally, let's whip up the cardamom crème fraîche to serve alongside. Tip the crème fraîche into a bowl, sift over some icing sugar for that gentle sweetness, and add a sprinkle of cardamom to give it a warm, aromatic kick. Mix it all together gently until it's smooth and well combined. Now, carefully lift your warm tarts onto serving plates,don't worry if they feel delicate, just use a spatula and go slow. Serve each tart with a generous dollop of that fragrant cardamom crème fraîche on the side. Trust me, the creamy tang alongside the spiced apple and pastry is pure magic. Enjoy every bite!