Prue Leith's Favorite Holiday Bake Is A Deliciously Easy French Treat – Exclusive
No one knows desserts quite like Prue Leith. The extraordinary chef and judge of "Great American Baking Show" has experienced a wide variety of sweet treats in her life. So, when it comes to baking, Leith knows precisely what she wants for the holidays. We spoke with Leith in an exclusive interview to find out what dessert earns a spot on her table.
"Funnily enough," said Leith. "This morning I baked my favorite thing, which is a Normandy tart." We were not surprised to hear that she already started baking. Leith describes a Normandy tart as "a sweet pastry flan filled with frangipane, which is that almond cream, and apples on top, baked and then with apricot jam on the top."
The dessert is named for the region Normandy in the North of France; the area is known for growing apples. The dessert is simple and elegant, highlighting the flavor of the apples with a creamy component to balance. It takes a straight apple pie or tart to a new level.
Simply delicious
Leith has spoken in the past about her love of the dessert and even has her recipe available online. "It's so delicious and it looks good," she told us. As a bonus, "It's easy to do. It's fairly quick." Leith does add a special ingredient to her Normandy tart, " I always put some brandy in it. I put booze in almost everything." Adding brandy to the Normandy tart adds a whole new flavor dimension. The sweet yet acidic nature of brandy works to enhance the natural flavors, and bring a new aroma to the dessert.
For serving, "It's great with a dollop of ice cream for a dessert," says Leith. But why wait for dessert, especially around the holidays? Leith recommends "a little slice for tea. Eat it with a fork and it's a very festive sort of thing."
"The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday" is available for streaming on the Roku channel.