Fruit tarts

These are oh-so-simple to make but look really impressive. Perfect for serving on a pretty cake stand or when you wish to impress.


The combination of pastry, fresh fruit and creamy filling has everything a sane person could want. If the fruit is not sweet enough, simply sprinkle a tiny amount of sugar over it and let it stand for an hour or so; I find this brings out the fruit's natural juiciness and enhances the flavour.


These little silver trays are actually meant for making pies in, but I thought they were just perfect for these tarts.



Ingredients:

For the shortcrust pastry:

175g plain flour

120g unsalted butter, cold

3 tablespoons icing sugar

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the filling:
250g mascarpone cheese
500g ready made, good quality fresh custard
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the topping:
Fruit of your choice

How to make:

- Start by making the pastry: put the flour, butter and icing sugar into the food processor and blitz until you get fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla and blitz until the pastry just starts to come together.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a ball of dough, handling no more than is absolutely necessary.
- Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper and cut to line the size containers you’re using.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan oven 170°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.
- Line the chilled pastry with a sheet of baking paper and cover with baking beans.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack.
- Now make the filling: beat the ingredients together until you have a thick custard cream that will hold its shape.
- Spoon the custard filling into the pastry cases.
- Top with fresh fruit.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.