Dishonored – Apricot Tartlet
A couple of weeks ago (which possibly explains why I missed a few posts - oops), after much of my own misplaced scepticism I will admit, I began playing Dishonored… and I love it! Apricot Tartlets have currently been few and far between during my adventures, and appear to be a treat of the privileged and wealthy; far away from the plague and endless cans of Hagfish rations. Here is a recipe to make an Apricot Tartlet any Lady Boyle would appreciate.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
Legend of Grimrock – Blueberry Pie
Last weekend my significant other came to bed around 4AM, so I naturally asked where he’d been. Many suspicious girlfriends would think of the obvious; another woman or a secret shame, like eating flowers in the bathroom, but I knew better.
It turned out he’d discovered this amazing game called Legend of Grimrock; a seriously awesome old school dungeon crawler as a stunning modern incarnation. I fell in love with the game instantly; it was so mysterious and beautifully designed, and when I saw there was food I got pretty excited. I eventually discovered there’s a rather infamous blueberry pie hidden in the darkness. A kind of symbol of hope… delicious, delicious hope.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
Catherine – Strawberry Tart (Katherine)
Katherine is Vincent’s long-term girlfriend who evidently has a bit of a sweet-tooth. She’s rarely seen without a dessert in front of her that somehow she’s been able to only take a small piece from. If I were dining at Chrono Rabbit I can assure you I’d be on my third slice of whatever strawberry covered treat was on offer. The source of Vincent’s current anxieties, Katherine takes some pretty interesting and disturbing forms in his nightmares. Even her fork is seen as a threat to him, well, she is usually the one doing the killing in her dreams. I can see why Vincent is so scared; her underlying dark streak and relationship pressures are enough to make me nervous! But as long as there’s desserts, everything’s okay.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
![Dishonored – Apricot Tartlet
A couple of weeks ago (which possibly explains why I missed a few posts - oops), after much of my own misplaced scepticism I will admit, I began playing Dishonored… and I love it! Apricot Tartlets have currently been few and far between during my adventures, and appear to be a treat of the privileged and wealthy; far away from the plague and endless cans of Hagfish rations. Here is a recipe to make an Apricot Tartlet any Lady Boyle would appreciate.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe makes 4 Apricot Tartlets.
What you will need: 4 small tart tins, a rolling pin, baking beans, a baking tray and a small saucepan.
Ingredients:
4 Dried Apricots (Finely Chopped)
350g / 12 oz Shortcrust Pastry - Recipe
1 Large Egg (Room Temperature)
25g / ⅛ Cup Caster/Superfine Sugar
½ Vanilla Pod
100ml / ½ Cup Double/Heavy Cream
4 Tablespoons Ground Almonds
4 Tablespoons Apricot Jam/Jelly
16 Fresh Apricot Halves
Apricot Brandy (Optional)
Preparing the Apricot Tartlet:
Take the finely chopped dried apricots and put them in a bowl. Pour over with apricot brandy and leave the stand. If you don’t want to use the brandy, leave this step out.
Roll out the pastry to about 1-2cm thick, then line the tart tins. Place them in the freezer to chill for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C/390F.
Once chilled, take the tart cases from the freezer, fill them with the baking beans and place on a baking tray. Bake the tarts for 10 minutes, until the pastry is very lightly golden.
Remove the tarts from the oven, then remove the baking beans. Leave the casings to cool while you prepare the filling. Turn to oven down to 180/355F.
In a bowl gently mix together the egg, sugar and vanilla. Add the cream and stir. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of ground almonds to cover the base of each tart.
Strain the infused dried apricots, and add a few pieces to each tart. Pour over the custard filling, leaving a small gap at the top. Bake them in the oven for 10-13 minutes until the filling is just set. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Garnishing the Apricot Tartlet:
In a small saucepan, add the apricot jam/jelly, an optional teaspoon of apricot brandy, and the fresh halved apricots.
Warm the jam/jelly though until it is loose and the apricots are softened, then remove from the heat. Once the jam/jelly begins to cool and set once again, carefully spoon a thin layer onto the tarts, then top with a few of the glazed apricots.
Chill the Tarts in the fridge until set, then serve with a glass of Gristol Cider.
One might ask why no ‘Jellied Eels’ – would you like to eat Jellied Eels? Didn’t think so.
These Apricot Tartlets are light and decadent. The custard is fabulous with the sweet apricot topping, and a dollop of freshly whipped cream would be a perfect accompaniment. So now you too can enjoy one without visiting your local brothel, or taking part in childish guessing games at a party. You’re welcome.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Skyrim: Hearthfire - Snowberry Crostata.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md541sEgfx1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![Legend of Grimrock – Blueberry Pie
Last weekend my significant other came to bed around 4AM, so I naturally asked where he’d been. Many suspicious girlfriends would think of the obvious; another woman or a secret shame, like eating flowers in the bathroom, but I knew better.
It turned out he’d discovered this amazing game called Legend of Grimrock; a seriously awesome old school dungeon crawler as a stunning modern incarnation. I fell in love with the game instantly; it was so mysterious and beautifully designed, and when I saw there was food I got pretty excited. I eventually discovered there’s a rather infamous blueberry pie hidden in the darkness. A kind of symbol of hope… delicious, delicious hope.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 6-8.
What you will need: A 9-inch loose base sandwich tin, a large baking tray, a sieve, a wooden spoon or hand mixer, a rolling pin and two large mixing bowls.
For the Pastry:
350g / 2⅓Cups Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
225g / 1 Cup Unsalted Butter (Chilled)
60ml / ¼ Cup Cold Water
For the Filling:
100g / ½ Cup Butter (Room Temperature)
100g /⅔Cup Icing/Confectioners Sugar
100g / 1 Cup Ground Almonds
4 Teaspoons Cornflour/Cornstarch
1 Large Egg (Room Temperature)
1 Large Egg Yolk (Room Temperature)
1½ Teaspoons Pure Almond Extract
½ Teaspoon Lemon Zest
3 Tablespoons Blueberry Preserve
200g / 2 Cups Fresh Blueberries
Making the Shortcrust Pastry:
In a large mixing bowl, sieve the flour, salt and sugar. Next add the butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your finger tips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the water a tablespoon at a time, mixing in between until the dough comes together. Once the dough forms into a ball, wrap it in cling film/saran wrap and place in the fridge to chill for about an hour.
Sieve some icing/confectioners sugar onto a clean, dry surface and roll the dough out until it’s about a quarter of an inch thick. Lift the pastry into the sandwich tin and pat it in to fill the tin evenly.
Trim off any excess pastry then put the tin in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 220C/420F with a large baking tray inside.
Put the pie in the oven on top of the heated baking tray to blind-bake the crust. You may want to use some baking beans to help keep the pastry for shrinking while it cooks.
Cook the pastry for about 10-15 minutes until the edges appear slightly darker and are firm. Once baked, take out the pie and leave it to cool completely before adding any filling.
Making the Blueberry Pie:
In a large bowl, sieve in the sugar, almonds and cornstarch. Next add the butter, egg, yolk, lemon zest and almond extract. Mix well until thoroughly combined into a kind of thick batter. Leave the mixture in the fridge to chill for about an hour.
With your pastry cooled, spoon in the blueberry preserve and use the back of the spoon to smooth it out over the base to create a thin layer of jam.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Once the almond mixture is chilled, pour it into the pastry and smooth it out until it’s even. Take your blueberries and pop them into the almond filling until the entire surface of the pie is covered.
Put the pie in the oven for 20-30 minutes. When the pie is firm, golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean – it’s ready! Take it out of the oven and leave to cool completely before serving.
Firstly, a huge thank you to Almost Human Games who replied to my email inquiring about Grimrock cuisine so promptly, and to Ben R for the beautiful comparison screenshots. It’s taken me about an hour to write this post, and in that time I’ve managed to eat about half the pie to myself. In making the pie, I didn’t want to overcook the frangipane filling, I wanted it to mix with the blueberries to create a creamy blueberry filling and it is… outstanding. I must have a seemingly bottomless pit for a stomach just like Mork, or even Grimrock it’s self.
You can download Legend of Grimrock from GOG, Steam and Grimrock.net.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Fable II – Amazing Apple Pie.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2p0llAPep1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![Catherine – Strawberry Tart (Katherine)
Katherine is Vincent’s long-term girlfriend who evidently has a bit of a sweet-tooth. She’s rarely seen without a dessert in front of her that somehow she’s been able to only take a small piece from. If I were dining at Chrono Rabbit I can assure you I’d be on my third slice of whatever strawberry covered treat was on offer. The source of Vincent’s current anxieties, Katherine takes some pretty interesting and disturbing forms in his nightmares. Even her fork is seen as a threat to him, well, she is usually the one doing the killing in her dreams. I can see why Vincent is so scared; her underlying dark streak and relationship pressures are enough to make me nervous! But as long as there’s desserts, everything’s okay.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 6-8.
What you will need: A 9 inch (23cm) fluted tart tin with a loose base, 2 large mixing bowls, a sieve, a rolling pin, ceramic baking beans, piping bag, a small pot, cling film/saran wrap and greaseproof paper/baking parchment.
For the Shortcrust Pastry:
225g / 1 ¾ Cups Plain Flour
100g / ½ Cup Butter (Chilled and Cubed)
½ Teaspoon Salt
Water
For the Filling:
300g / 1 ½ Cups Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
100g / ½ Cup Fine Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
120ml / ½ Cup Soured Cream
2 Tablespoons Fine Sugar
To Garnish:
175g / ½ Cup Strawberry Conserve
120ml / ½ Cup Double / Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Fine Sugar
16 Fresh Strawberries
18 Fresh Blueberries
Making the Shortcrust Pastry:
Sieve the flour into a large bowl and add the butter. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the salt and add water a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together as a dough.
Wrap the dough in cling film/saran wrap and chill in the fridge for an hour before use. Meanwhile, lightly grease the tart tin and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180C/355F. Once chilled, roll out the pastry to an even thickness and line the tin. Cover with greaseproof paper/baking parchment and fill the pastry with ceramic baking beans.
Place the pastry in the oven and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes. Watch the pastry to ensure it doesn’t dry out or get too brown. Once it’s golden and firm it’s ready to come out. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper and leave the pastry to cool while you prepare the filling.
Preparing the Filling:
Turn up the oven to 220C/450F. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract. Add the two eggs and mix well until smooth. Don’t worry if it seems very liquid, this is normal.
Pour the mixture into the cooled and prepared pastry, leaving a small gap at the top, and put in the oven for around 7-10 minutes or until the centre has set.
Take the tart from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Meanwhile, mix the sour cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar together. Spoon just enough of the sour cream over the top of the tart to create a thin layer.
Turn the oven off and return the tart to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the sour cream has solidified.
Take the tart out and leave it to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge for several hours or over night to chill.
Making the Strawberry Tart:
In a small pot, add the strawberry conserve. Warm through on a medium heat until the mixture becomes liquid. Allow it to cool for a minute before pouring a thin, even layer over the chilled tart. Place the tart back in the fridge until the strawberry conserve layer has set.
Meanwhile, whisk up the double cream with the sugar and spoon into the piping bag. Pipe cream around the entire edge of the tart.
Prepare your fruit for the top, check out this picture for how to arrange the blueberries and strawberries. Grab a milky coffee and enjoy the tart!
While I was trying to get a good look at the tart Katherine is eating during the game, I noticed that it actually changes a few times in one scene. It swaps between a sponge cake and the tart I’ve made above. I chose the tart as it was something a bit different to the previous recipes and it appears most frequently in the game. I went through 4 attempts at different varieties and combinations and then finally, I cracked it! A delicate cream-cheese layer, with caramelised sour cream topped with strawberries and blueberries is beautifully complimented by the smooth shortcrust pastry and whipped cream. Don’t waste your fork on your significant other, this treat is proof there are far better things to be forking.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Castlevania - Cheesecake.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0hjyw985L1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
