Savoury Aperitif Tart

Hello food lovers,

Fancy a refined and fresh aperitif? This savoury tart will win everyone over! :-)

It consists of a savoury shortcrust pastry with dill, a soft onion sponge cake, a creamy avocado mousse and slices of smoked salmon. A lovely combo of flavours and textures! ;-)

And for the finishing touch: crunchy radishes, colourful beetroot, a few lemon slices and a hint of dill for maximum freshness!

Elegant and delicious, this recipe is perfect for impressing your guests at aperitif time!

To make this tart for about 12 people, you will need:

Savoury shortcrust pastry

- 60gr grated Gruyère

- 50gr butter

- 50gr almond flour

- 50gr flour

- 5gr dill

Savoury sponge

- 4 eggs

- 2 tsp salt

- 10 turns of the pepper mill

- 50gr onion

- 100gr flour

Avocado mousse

- 3 avocados

- 3 tsp lemon juice

- 225gr heavy cream

- 1 tsp salt

- 5 turns of the pepper mill

- 1 lemon zest

Decorations

- 200gr smoked salmon

- 5 radishes

- 1 raw beetroot

- 1 lemon

- A few sprigs of dill

Start by making the dill streusel which will add crunch to the tart.

Streusel

In a large bowl, add 60gr grated Gruyère, 50gr butter and 50gr almond flour.

Then add 50gr flour and finely chop 5gr dill.

Mix everything together by hand until you get a smooth, uniform dough.

Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper, then roll it out to 3 mm using biscuit bars and a large rolling pin.

Place the dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180°C, fan-assisted.

Once the dough is well chilled, take the crown tart mould. The removable base will make unmoulding the tart perfect.

However, I recommend covering the base with a sheet of baking paper to avoid any unpleasant surprises. ;-)

Then cut the dough into a crown shape using the baking paper as a guide.

Place the baking paper back at the bottom of the mould, then add the shortcrust pastry dough on top.

Bake for 10 minutes in the middle of the preheated oven.

The savoury shortcrust pastry is now baked. Leave your oven on, we'll still need it.

We can now prepare the savoury onion sponge batter.

Savoury sponge cake

Start by cracking 4 eggs into a large bowl and add 2 tsp salt.

Use measuring spoons to add the salt precisely.

Season with 10 turns of the pepper mill, then whisk everything at maximum speed for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, finely chop 50gr onion and set aside. Pour 100gr flour into a sieve.

Sift 100gr flour into the previous mixture. This step is important to avoid lumps in our batter.

Gently fold in the flour using a spatula until you get a smooth, uniform mixture.

Finally, add the chopped onions and fold in again with the spatula.

Take the sponge batter and pour it over the prepared layer.

Using a small offset spatula, spread the mixture evenly in the mould, then bake for 10 minutes in the middle of the oven.

After 10 minutes, the sponge cake is baked ; let it cool to room temperature in the mould.

Once the tart base has cooled, we can make the avocado mousse.

Avocado mousse

Start by cutting 3 ripe avocados in half.

Remove the stone and the skin, then place the avocado flesh in a blender.

Add 3 tsp lemon juice and blend everything until you get a smooth purée. Transfer the avocado purée to a bowl and set it aside.

In a large bowl, whip 225gr heavy cream into a firm whipped cream.

Using a spatula, fold in the whipped cream in 2 additions into the avocado purée to get a smooth, uniform mousse.

Season the mousse with 1 tsp salt and 5 turns of the pepper mill.

Finish the seasoning by zesting 1 lemon using a microplane grater. This will add a little zing. :-)

Gently fold with a spatula, then taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

The avocado mousse is ready. Prepare a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle N°12.

Place the piping bag in a jug and pour in the avocado mousse. This technique will help you fill the piping bag neatly without making a mess.

Unmould your tart base and place it on a tray or plate. It will be difficult to move once decorated.

Fill the tart with avocado mousse by piping pretty peaks.

Depending on the size of your avocados, you may have some mousse left over. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge when well wrapped.

Now that the avocado mousse is piped, it's time for my favourite part: the decorations. ;-)

Decorations

Start by spreading 200gr smoked salmon, cut into slices, over the mousse.

Then prepare the various decoration elements: sliced radishes, keeping some whole as well, a few lemon slices and half-rounds of raw beetroot.

Arrange the decoration elements attractively on the tart, alternating colours and textures for an ultra-indulgent result.

Finally, place a few sprigs of dill on the tart, distributing them to add a fresh touch to the presentation.

And here is the result: a beautiful savoury aperitif tart. :-)

It will keep for 2 days in the fridge, well wrapped in a cake box.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Wishing you a lovely Sunday, food lovers.

Sophie

P.S.: All the equipment used can be found at the bottom of the recipe.