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Spongata tart dusted with powdered sugar and one wedge cut out to show the dark honey and nut filling

Spongata Emilian Tart with Spiced Fruit and Honey Filling

Spongata is a double-crust Emilian tart filled with honey, nuts, dried fruit and spices. It bakes in 40 minutes and keeps for up to a week.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian (Emilia-Romagna)
Calories: 268

Ingredients
  

Pastry
  • 250 g all-purpose flour
  • 80 g granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 lemon zest lemon; finely grated
  • 100 g unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 1 large egg
  • 45 ml dry white wine (3 tbsp); cold
Filling
  • 200 g mild honey acacia or wildflower
  • 60 ml dry white wine (1/4 cup)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 orange zest orange; finely grated
  • 100 g raisins
  • 80 g dried figs stems removed, chopped
  • 60 g candied citron or orange peel finely diced
  • 100 g walnuts coarsely chopped
  • 80 g blanched almonds coarsely chopped
  • 40 g pine nuts
  • 60 g fine dry breadcrumbs
To finish
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a 25 cm / 10-inch mixing bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Beat the egg with the cold wine, stir it in, and press the dough together. If it stays crumbly, add 1 teaspoon more wine. Divide it into about 320 g and 210 g portions, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.
Cook the filling
  1. While the dough chills, warm the honey, wine, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander and orange zest in an 18 cm / 2-quart saucepan over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until loose and fragrant. Don't let it boil. Add the raisins, figs and candied citron and cook for 2 minutes, until the fruit softens. Off the heat, stir in the walnuts, almonds, pine nuts and breadcrumbs. Let the filling cool for 30 minutes, until it feels barely warm and holds together like a stiff paste.
Assemble and bake
  1. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, put a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan on it, and heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Roll the larger dough disk between two sheets of parchment to 4 mm thick, about a 30 cm round. Lift it into a 24 cm / 9.5-inch tart pan with a removable base, press it into the corners, and trim flush with the rim.
  2. Spoon in the cooled filling and press it level with a damp spatula. Roll the smaller disk to 4 mm, about a 25 cm round, and lay it over the top. Press the edges together and trim the overhang. Beat the egg yolk with the milk, brush it over the top, and cut 6 to 8 small vents.
  3. Bake on the hot sheet pan for 40 minutes, until the top is deep golden and honey bubbles slowly at the vents. If the edges darken before the 30-minute mark, tent them with foil.
  4. Cool the tart in the pan on a rack for 1 hour so the filling sets. Unmold, dust with powdered sugar, and cut into 12 thin wedges with a serrated knife.

Notes

  • Chill the dough for the full 45 minutes so the butter firms and the pastry rolls without tearing.
  • Press the filling level with a damp spatula so the top crust sits flat.
  • Cut 6 to 8 small vents in the top crust so steam can escape.
  • Cool the tart in the pan for a full hour before unmolding.