Recipes › fennel bulb › Caramelised Fennel and Gruyère Tart
Caramelised Fennel and Gruyère Tart
A proper savoury tart where thick slices of fennel are slowly cooked down until deeply golden and sweet, then laid over a rich Gruyère custard in a buttery shortcrust case. The anise notes of the fennel mellow entirely in the pan, leaving something almost jammy and intensely savoury. This is the kind of thing worth making on a weekend afternoon — it rewards patience and it is stunning.
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Ingredients
- 4 fennel bulbs, fronds reserved, bulbs halved and cut into 1cm-thick slices
- 200 g plain flour
- 100 g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 200 ml double cream
- 100 ml whole milk
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 120 Gruyère, finely gratedor use Comté
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g fresh fennel fronds, roughly chopped (optional)
Contains: cereals gluten, eggs, milk, mustard.
Method
- Make the pastry: put the flour, cold butter cubes and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork it. Shape into a flat disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.About 25 min
- While the pastry chills, melt the 30g butter with the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the fennel slices, sprinkle over the caster sugar and a generous pinch of salt, and cook for 25–30 minutes, turning the slices every few minutes, until deeply golden and completely tender. Set aside to cool slightly.About 30 min
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness and use it to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Press it into the corners, leaving a slight overhang. Line with baking paper, fill with baking beans or dried pulses and blind bake for 15 minutes.About 20 min
- Remove the baking paper and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 5 minutes until the base looks dry and pale golden. Use a sharp knife to trim the overhanging pastry level with the tin rim. Brush the base immediately with the Dijon mustard.About 6 min
- Whisk together the double cream, milk, beaten eggs and three-quarters of the grated Gruyère. Season well with salt and black pepper.About 2 min
- Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C / 150°C fan. Arrange the caramelised fennel slices in an even layer in the pastry case. Pour the custard mixture over the top, then scatter over the remaining Gruyère.About 3 min
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until the custard is just set with a very slight wobble in the centre. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Scatter over the fennel fronds, if using, and serve warm or at room temperature.About 40 min
Tips
- Do not rush the caramelising step. The fennel needs low, patient heat to go from sharp and raw to sweet and silky — crank the heat up and it burns on the outside while staying hard in the middle.
- The custard should still have a gentle wobble when you take it out of the oven — it firms up as it cools. If it is completely set in the oven it will be slightly grainy when sliced.
- Brushing the hot pastry base with mustard is not optional — it adds flavour and also acts as a moisture barrier to prevent the base going soggy.
Ring the changes
- Swap the Gruyère for a sharp mature Cheddar for a more British flavour — it works beautifully.
- Add 4 anchovies to the pan when caramelising the fennel — they melt into the oil and add a deep savoury backbone without tasting fishy.
Keeping it
Cool completely before storing. Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat slices in a 160°C oven for 10 minutes to refresh the pastry. Does not freeze well once assembled.
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