'Tarts: Sweet and Savory' - Cookbook Spotlight

Photo: Amazon.com

'Tarts: Sweet and Savory'
Recipes by Maxine Clark
Photographs by Martin Brigdale
Ryland Peters & Small -- 2007
Buy it on Amazon

Delectable as the payoff may be, tart-making, by nature, is not an art suited to the impatient. Parading the tart from counter to refrigerator to oven and back again ad nauseam can test the commitment of even a seasoned cook -- and that's before the filling's even been tackled.

But there is something to be said for the immense satisfaction one garners from a completed tart. When properly executed (and, you should be forewarned, there is an alarming amount of room for error), the end product is elevated to an artistic form, promising taste, texture and photogenic glory.

We flipped through the recipes of ''Tarts: Sweet and Savory'' to find totally drool-worthy photos -- and were happy to find they held up taste-wise too.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

Homemade leek tart. Photo: Alexa Weibel

Takeaway tips: Though tart-making is an involved endeavor, the book's simple, well-explained recipes guarantee fabulous results. Time-consuming though they may be, these stately tarts are worth every minute of effort.

Quality of pictures: Not only are the photos stunning and generous -- virtually every single recipe is granted a full-page photo -- but they are also enormously helpful in guiding readers through the sometimes tricky construction of a tart. The pastry dough how-tos provide step-by-step images that leave little room for error.

And to give further credit to the photographer and food stylist, every image is positively delectable, capturing everything from the sprigs of thyme topping the Slow-Roasted Tomato and Herb Tartlets with Feta to the inviting sheen of the Blueberry and Lime Sour Cream Pie.

We tested: Flamiche (Belgian Leek Tart) and Tarte Aux Pommes (French Apple Tart)

Rolling out a crust might be one of the more trying kitchen techniques the amateur chef is set to encounter, but relying upon the photo tutorials, both crusts came out superb. The Flamiche featured a thin, creamy filling with savory leeks and a touch of nutmeg, and was as delicious directly out of the oven as it was plucked out of the refrigerator as an impromptu breakfast snack. The Rich Shortcrust Pastry Dough was exactly what its name promised (and more, since we threw some grated Parmesan into the crust for a subtle extra tang).

In typical French fashion, the Tarte aux Pommes simply loaded a thin pâte brisée with apples, sugar and butter, then topped the tart with an apricot-Calvados glaze. The apples were beautifully browned but soft; the glaze added the necessary moisture; the crust crumbled in buttery perfection. Our sole complaint was that the tart was slightly below our usual sweetness requirements, but a quick dash of cinnamon sugar on top or even pairing the tart with ice cream or whipped cream would elevate it from good to extraordinary.

Worth the investment: Patience is a virtue, and for those who possess it (or a true love of tarts), this cookbook is a must-have.