This COVID time is such a twilight zone where for me baking and gardening has helped ease the uncertainty, find some peace and meaningful moments.

I'm relatively new to sourdough bread baking. Its definitely cheaper than therapy (haha). However if you are like me where I only bake weekly or fortnightly it means I have to build up my starter the day before making the bread. This equals alot of potential discard of the leftover starter. So I've been on the look out for recipes to use this starter, its too good to literally discard.

ENTER the fabulous Sarah Owens and her cookbook Sourdough This book is a cracker. So far I have made the lavosh bread (they are called parchment crackers in the book), coconut tahini bars and now my version of the tea cookies using our sun dried Smryna quince to make quince butter. The idea is similar to Annabelle's quince jam drop that we published a couple of years ago but much lower in sugar and using sourdough discard. So here's my version.

Quince and Pecan Tea Cookies 

Makes approx. 18 cookies (I would suggest a double batch they go quickly)

Ingredients

For Quince butter (note this needs to be made a day before making the cookies if you are making from scratch, alternatively use our sun dried Smyrna quince to make it up quickly). 

500g quinces, cut in half but still with skin and core in. If you don’t have fresh quince you can also use approximately 200g of our sun dried Smyrna quince, the raw sugar and lemon below are then not required.

200g raw sugar

One lemon cut in half

Water to cover the quinces

This quantity will make to much more than is needed. However its easily stored in the fridge and then ready to use next time you need butter for these cookies, our tarts, if you want to add it to a hummingbird cake or served with pork.

For the cookies

170g wholemeal flour (I used Four leaf milling 85% light)

35g raw sugar

1/2 tsp salt flakes 

1 Tbspn chai tea (My favourite is Brewed by Belinda)

1 tsp lemon zest

85g cold unsalted butter

1 large egg, beaten

100g left over sourdough starter 

85g chopped pecans

Method

Quince butter: This needs to be started the day before making the cookies if you are making from scratch. In a large saucepan put the halved quinces and lemon, sugar (and spices if you are adding them) and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to poach the quinces. This needs at least 3 hours until the quinces go a deep red/mauve colour. Allow the quince to cool, preferably overnight and then remove the quinces from the poaching liquid. Reserve the poaching liquid, this can be reduced and used as a sauce on pancakes or roast pork.

Take care to scoop the core of each half of each quince out (this is not pleasant to eat) and discard. Put all the remaining cooked quince in the food processor and blitz until you have a paste/butter consistency. Set aside until the cookie dough is ready. 

Alternatively if you don’t have fresh quince or pressed for time you can use our sun dried quince and soak for 20 minutes in warm water. Then simply blitz this in the food processor until you have a paste/butter consistency. Set aside until the cookie dough is ready. 

Cookies: 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a large bowl (or electric mixer) mix together the flour, sugar, salt, chai tea and lemon zest. Use your hands (or in the mixer) to rub through cubes of the cold butter until the dough looks like crumbs. Next add the beaten egg, then the starter and then the chopped pecans. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Use a spoon to portion out the cookie dough, I ended up using tablespoon for each portion. With each spoonful roll it in your hand then put it on a lined baking tray. I used my finger to put a hole in the top of each cookie. Using a small spoon fill each hole with your quince butter.

Bake for 18-20 mins in the oven or look for the cookies turning golden. Store in an airtight container. 

Now I'm not totally sure I can still call it a Hummingbird cake if there is no pineapple. Probably not but its still delicious and this is my recipe for our annual ode to this family favourite.

I really have only just stumbled on the flavour combinations of quince, ginger and pecan but I'm so glad I have.

Quince, Pecan and Ginger frangipane tart

Makes one 22cm tart or approx. 12 tartlets (6.5cms in diameter). 

Serves 8- 12 (if you have made the smaller tartlets)

Ingredients

Quince butter layer (note this needs to be prepped the day before making the tart):

500g quinces, cut in half but still with skin and core in. If you don’t have fresh quince you can also use approximately 200g of our sun dried Smyrna quince, the raw sugar and lemon below are then not required.

200g raw sugar

One lemon cut in half

Water to cover the quinces

Note: You can also add other spices to your taste eg start anise, cinnamon, vanilla pod. I generally don’t. This layer is an adaptation from Amy Minichiello, you can check out more from her website at www.aminikitchen.com

Pastry:

1 packet of Careme pastry vanilla sweet shortcrust pastry or if you want to make it yourself I use a Brisee pastry recipe from Phillippa’s ‘Home Baking’ cook book.

Pecan and Ginger frangipane layer:

125g unsalted butter

125g raw caster sugar

1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 eggs

125g All Natural Pecans ground in the food processor

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons candied ginger or if you can’t get this, I used ginger marmalade

This layer is an adaptation of Careme Pastry’s Poached Pear & Ginger Pie recipe

Method
Quince butter: This needs to be started the day before making the tart. In a large saucepan put the halved quinces and lemon, sugar (and spices if you are adding them) and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to poach the quinces. This needs at least 3 hours until the quinces go a deep red/mauve colour. Allow the quince to cool, preferably overnight and then remove the quinces from the poaching liquid. Reserve the poaching liquid, this can be reduced and used as a sauce on pancakes or roast pork.

Take care to scoop the core of each half of each quince out (this is not pleasant to eat) and discard. Put all the remaining cooked quince in the food processor and blitz until you have a paste/butter consistency. Set aside until the rest of the pie components are finished.

Alternatively if you don’t have fresh quince or pressed for time you can use our sun dried quince and soak for 20 minutes in warm water. Then simply blitz this in the food processor until you have a paste/butter consistency. Set aside until the rest of the pie components are finished.

Pastry: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).  Lightly grease and dust with flour the base of a round 22cm pie dish or in my case I prepped up 12 tartlets tins. I used ones with removable bases.

On a floured bench, dust both sides of the pastry sheet with a little flour.  Cut a 24cm circle from the pastry and line the pie plate with pastry so it sits over the edge of plate, place in refrigerator to chill. I kept all the leftover pastry to make some mini pecan crumbles, the recipe is at the end.

If you are using Careme Pastry blind bake the pastry case. Firstly line the pastry case with baking paper. Cover paper with baking weights, rice or dried beans for example or a dried pulse (eg. chickpeas, fill weights to top of shell to help support the sides and weigh the base down during cooking.

Place tart tin on a baking tray in preheated oven, bake for 20 minutes. Remove tart tin from oven, check pastry is just golden before removing beans and baking paper. Return tart tin to oven and cook for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Remove tart from oven, allow to cool.

If you are handmaking your pastry follow your recipe instructions to prepare and blind bake.

Frangipane:

Firstly make the pecan meal by blitzing the pecans in the food processor- really you can stop at whatever consistency you want the meal, I like a little bit of crunch so I did’t make it too fine.

In a stand mixer beat the butter, sugar and ground ginger together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each has been incorporated. Stir in the ground pecans, cornflour, ginger powder and ginger marmalade, mixing until combined.

Tart Assembly:

Once the pastry case(s) is cool start with spooning in a layer of the quince butter evenly. Then follow with the frangipane. If you are feeling fancy you can also top the tart with some latticed pastry.

Place the tart on a baking tray in put in your preheated oven Cook for 40 minutes at 180°C (160°C  fan-forced) or until pastry is golden and frangipane is cooked through (e.g. just firm to the touch when lightly pressed in the centre). If the edges of the tart look like they are browning too quickly, cover with baking paper or putting an edge of foil around the tart and continue baking until the frangipane is cooked.

Allow to cool in the tin before removing. Serve with ice cream, cream or yoghurt whatever tickles your fancy.

Bite sized Pecan crumbles

If you have leftover pastry, quince butter and/or frangipane I did go alittle over the top and make some bite sized quince and pecan crumbles. Complete decadence

.

Simply use a mini cupcake tray and butter/flour each cavity. Cut rounds of your leftover pastry and line the tray with pastry. Add a dollop of quince butter and frangipane. I finished off with a teaspoon of a very quick to prepare pecan crumble. Here is my recipe for this layer:

1 tbspn brown sugar

2/3 cup plain flour

100g rolled oats 

1 tspn ground cinnamon

120g unsalted butter softened

80g of All Natural Pecans cut up roughly into small pieces

Mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and pecans in a mixing bowl. Break the softened butter into pieces and add to the flour mixture. Incorporate using the tips of your fingers until mixed like course breadcrumbs. Then add a small spoonful of the crumble mix onto of the frangipane layer. Bake in the oven preheated (as above) for 20-30 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown.

If you do have any leftover quince butter and/or crumble after all this it can be stored in the fridge until you make your next dessert.

Allow the crumbles to cool slightly and take a brilliant bite- these are delicious and its hard to stop at one.

Happy Baking