Summer Berry Tart
Summer time is berry time. Baking, on the other hand, might not be the thing we immediately associate with long summer days and heat waves. However, I find that there’s only so many times I can eat a fruit salad before I start to think there has to be a different way. So, baking it is! And what better way to make the most of all those beautiful berries on offer than to incorporate them in a tart?
They’re still fresh and juicy, but with the added bonus of a vanilla cream and a sweet shortcrust base. This tart can be served as dessert or for afternoon tea in a sunny garden.
It will, however, need a bit of preparation time as it’s not something that can be whipped up as quickly as a fruit salad but it’s well worth the extra effort…
For the tart base:
250g flour
80g sugar
1 large egg yolk
150g butter
For the crème pâtissière:
500ml full fat milk
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg (whole)
45g plain flour
75g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
For the topping:
Berries! Lots of berries! Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries… whatever you fancy.
Icing sugar to deliberately sprinkle on top of the berries.
And here’s how it’s done…
First, prepare the dough by combining the flour, sugar, egg yolk and butter. If possible, use a mixer with a paddle attachment.
Once combined, take the dough out, form into a ball, wrap in cling film and put into the fridge for about 45 minutes.
Now onto the crème pâtissière.
Put the flour, sugar, egg yolks and egg into a bowl and whisk until pale. Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod and together with the milk add to a pan.
Bring the milk to a boil and then take immediately off the heat. Now slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture whilst continuously stirring.
Return the whole mix to the pan.
Over a medium heat and whilst continuously stirring, warm the mixture up until it’s thickened and just about reached boiling point. Take IMMEDIATELY off the heat.
Pour into a clean bowl and cover with cling film. The cling film should rest on top of the crème to prevent a skin from forming. Put into the fridge to cool completely.
Pre-heat your oven to 200C
Grease your cake form and – on a floury surface – roll out the cooled dough to fit the form. Press the dough into the form and cut off any excess with a sharp knife.
Now cut out a piece of baking parchment to fit the form, lay on top of the dough and fill with ceramic baking beans.
Put into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Take the base out of the oven, remove the baking beans and parchment. Place the base back into the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes until golden. Take the base out of the oven and leave to cool down completely.
Once the cake base an the crème pâtissiere are completely cooled down, pour the cream into the base.
Top deliberately and randomly with berries.
Sprinkle icing sugar on top (to cut any tartness of the berries) and you’re ready to serve your beautiful cake.
