Neenish Tarts are notorious for being a scandalous taste overload of everything. The original version is sweet and completely over the top!
But even still, eat one, you'll just want more!
Neenish Tarts are a mini-size shortcake pastry base tart, with a sweetened condensed milk-based creamy filling. Topped with a two-tone half side of vanilla icing, the other with chocolate icing.
There are many adaptions.
Some have a berry jam layer between the shortcake and filling. There's an addition of cinnamon instead of the standard lemon, and other recipes with creamy fillings, similar to French Passterie cream but far less sweet.
Icings morphed into berry and vanilla, or berry chocolate twosomes.
Some people add almond flavours to the pastry.
Neenish Tarts are famed in Australia where they originated and also popular in New Zealand, where nearly every bakery serves them.
The Neenish Tart is my mama's favourite sweet treat!
The tart was most unlikely to have been created by famed Australian Mrs Ruby Neenish in 1913, as it has revealed itself as folklore.
Another theory is they were created by a commercial food company.
Or possibly by Australian outback cooks.
The earliest recipe recorded was in 1924 but called Neenish Cakes.
So all in all, the origin of Neenish Tarts is still a highly disputed topic.
Today we are creating my own adaption.
Orange Vanilla Neenish Tarts.
I have created this recipe, especially for Thanksgiving, but they are a divine sweet treat for any absolutely any occasion.
The tart shortcake envelops a luscious orange buttercream filling.
There is simple icing on top that is orange and vanilla two-tone.
If you don't have time to bake the shortcake tart bases, you can buy readymade ones. Then mix the orange buttercream filling, pop it in, and ice the tops.
Orange Vanilla Neenish Tarts
Pastry
1 cup plain white flour
1 Tablespoon fine white caster sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1/3 cup soft butter
1 egg yolk
Approximately 1/3 cup cold water
.
Place the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse to the crumb stage.
Add the rind, egg yolk with half the water and pulse, adding more water if necessary to make a soft ball of dough.
Turn onto a floured board.
Roll out thinly.
Cut round to fit the greased muffin or patty tin holes.
Press to shape.
Prick all over with a fork.
Refrigerate for at least 1/2 an hour.
Bake at 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove cases from the pans and cool.
Filling:
In a bowl beat with electric beaters:
1/2 cup of soft butter
1/2 cup powdered icing sugar
When smooth and creamy add:
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest
Beat again until the buttercream is thick, pale and creamy.
Place in refrigerator while tart cases are baking and you prepare the icings.
Vanilla Icing:
In a small bowl make icing with:
1/3 cup powdered icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
and milk to mix to consistency.
Orange Icing:
In a small bowl make icing with:
1/3 cup powdered icing sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange rind
and enough fresh orange juice to mix to consistency.
Put Together:
Fill cold tart cases with orange buttercream.
Level tops with a knife.
Ice half the top with vanilla icing and the other half with orange icing.
.
Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
Leave one day before eating to give the orange flavours time to infuse and make the sweetness more subtle.
Yield: 14 tarts.
Printable recipe HERE.
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