Chinon Apple Tarts

To make the red wine jelly, combine the red wine, jam sugar, star anise, clove, cinnamon stick, allspice, and the split vanilla pod with its seeds in a medium saucepan. Stir gently over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely, then increase the heat and boil for 20 minutes, until the mixture is reduced and syrupy. Strain the jelly into a small, sterilised jam jar and let it cool completely; it will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.

After letting the puff pastry sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, unroll it, then preheat your grill to high heat and the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Cut out two 13cm circles of pastry (a plate makes a good guide), place them on a non-stick baking sheet, and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Grill for 5 minutes until the sugar caramelizes, watching carefully to prevent burning, then remove from the grill; these can be prepared a few hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.

Peel, quarter, and core the apples, then cut them into 2mm-thin slices and arrange neatly on top of the grilled pastry circles. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through and golden, and the apples have softened. Remove the tarts and let them cool slightly, then warm 3 tablespoons of the red wine jelly with 1 teaspoon of water in a small pan over low heat to make it a little more runny, and brush it over the tarts.

Tip the crème fraîche into a bowl, then sift in the icing sugar and cardamom, mixing until just combined. Carefully transfer the warm tarts onto serving plates and serve immediately with a dollop of the cardamom crème fraîche.