Quince tart with cream and ice cream

This autumnal recipe for quince tart is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It comes from Charlie Hibbert, who is Head Chef at Thyme's Ox Barn restaurant. For the ultimate indulgence, he recommends serving with both cream and ice cream.

'I discovered this frangipane recipe when I was working for the wonderful Jeremy Lee at Quo Vadis. It is the best recipe and I love it, so here’s to Jeremy…

At Thyme, we actually make this dish with medlars as well, because they lend themselves brilliantly to it. However, you can find quince membrillo much more easily than medlar membrillo (we make our own), so I’ve suggested quince for this recipe.' Charlie Hibbert.

Recipe for quince tart with cream and ice cream

Prep time: 1hr30

Cooking time: 1hr30

Difficulty: medium.

Ingredients

Serves 8

For the sweet pastry

250g plain flour, sifted and extra for dusting

125g unsalted butter, cubed

50g icing sugar

1 free range egg plus 1 free range egg yolk

All ingredients should be well chilled

For the almond frangipane filling

500g unsalted butter

500g caster sugar

4 free range eggs

500g blanched almonds

120g quince membrillo (this is available at most supermarkets and online)

To serve

Double cream

Vanilla ice cream

Method

Start with the pastry. Using a food processor, blitz the flour, butter and icing sugar until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and egg yolk and blitz again until the pastry has started to come together. Dust the work surface with a light dusting of flour. Turn the pastry out onto your surface and form it into a uniform ball – do not knead the pastry, this should only take a minute or so. Rest it in the fridge for at least half an hour.

While the pastry chills, make the filling. Cream the butter and sugar well, before adding the eggs one by one, ensuring each is well incorporated before the next is added. Next, grind the nuts in a food processor until they are well chopped but not a powder - this will give the tart some texture. Add them to the butter, sugar and egg mix and mix together. Chill the filling completely.

When the pastry has chilled, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface to fit a 22cm loose bottom tart tin. Chill the pastry again for 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 150°C (normal) | 130°C (fan) | gas mark 2

Once the pastry has been chilled for a second time, spread a layer of quince membrillo in the base of the tart, before filling it with the almond frangipane mix. Bake for 90 minutes.

Once cooked, remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool. Serve with cream and ice cream.

Wine Pairing

Andrea, who owns and leads Last Drop Wines on the King's Road in Chelsea, recommends two wines that she describes as 'magic in a bottle' to accompany this indulgent dessert. Read her advice here.

About Thyme

Thyme includes 32 bedrooms situated throughout the Georgian rectory, The Lodge, The Tallet and the buildings around the courtyard and gardens. Ox Barn (seats 62) offers a wonderful dining experience, with its own twist on seasonal British food.

Thyme also offers the Baa bar, meadow spa, pool, orchid house and botanical bothy. The piggery and balcony room boutiques stock Bertioli by Thyme's range of silkwear, tableware and bespoke homeware.

If that's not enough, their 'village within a village' also contains a cookery school, floristry and drawing classes, farm, kitchen gardens, orchards and water meadows. Cottages are available for private hire and you can also book the Tithe Barn for private events.

You can view our collection of Thyme recipes and our interview with Charlie Hibbert on L-Shaped.

Thyme’s room rates currently start at £335 (midweek) / £395 (Fri, Sat) per night. These are room rates include breakfast.

Thyme, Southrop Manor Estate, Southrop, Gloucestershire, GL7 3PW