Sunday 31 August 2014

Strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant tart

I can't believe I totally forgot to add this to the blog! This got lots of positive comments when eating it. It looked pretty too. I made this mainly on my own but the little ones did help with the pastry and jelly mixing, and adding the redcurrants. I will say be patient to get the jelly right before pouring it - otherwise it leaks into the pastry. This used mixed fruit from the garden


Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry

225g (8oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) butter, diced
50g (2oz) lard, diced
3-4 tablespoons chilled water
Pinch of salt (optional)

Custard

2 tablespoons Custard powder (I used Birds)
50ml whole milk
250ml

Topping

70g strawberry jelly (unmade up, I used half a pack of Hartley)
120ml cold water
120ml boiling water
1 tablespoon caster sugar
300g strawberries (hulled and halved)
100g raspberries
50g redcurrants

Method

Pastry

  • Add salt to flour
  • Rub in the fat using your fingers, until the mix looks like breadcrumbs 
  • Sprinkle the water over the surface 
  • Stir in using a round-bladed knife until it sticks in large lumps
  • With one hand collect the mix to format a ball
  • Knead lightly for a few seconds, don't over handle
  • Roll out, flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll in one direction, turning the pastry occasionally. It should be about 3mm thick. 
  • Place in the tin, trim and then let it rest in the fridge (covered by foil/ greaseproof paper) for 30mins.
  • Preheat oven to 200C
  • Place a circle of greaseproof paper in centre and weigh down with dried lentils/beans/ceramic pastry balls
  • Cook for 10min 
  • Take out greaseproof paper and weights. Press down any raised areas of pastry and return to the oven for a further 5-10mins, until lightly browned.
  • Leave to cool.

Topping

  • Make up the strawberry jelly by adding it to the boiling water and the caster sugar. Stir until dissolved
  • Add the cold water
  • Allow to cool until almost set, might want to keep stirring to ensure lumps don't occur. 
  • I put mine to set in the fridge, but might be best to just set outside while doing the Custard (I did mine after the custard which was the wrong order for me!) Then put in fridge.

Custard

  • Heat the custard powder and milk in a pan on a medium heat, whisk out any lumps.
  • Slowly add the cream, sugar and vanilla.
  • Keep stirring until it thickens
  • Remove the custard from the heat and allow to cool

Finishing the Topping

  • When the pastry and custard have cooled, pour the custard in to the pastry case and put in the fridge, for approx 20min. 
  • Lay the strawberry halves and raspberries onto the custard, fill the gaps with the redcurrants.
  • Pour the nearly set jelly over the strawberry halves/ redcurrants 
  • Top with more fruit 
  • Put in fridge to set for at least 2 hours.