Quick Classic Berry Tart Food

THE QUICKEST BERRY TART

Steps:

• You can make the pastry by hand, or in a food processor. If making it by hand, sieve the flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl from a height.
• Chop the butter into small cubes, then gently work the it into the flour and sugar with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Beat the egg and add to the mix with the milk and gently work it together using your hands until you have a ball. Don't work the pastry too much or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short.
• Sprinkle some flour over the dough and a clean work surface, and pat the ball into a thick flat round. Sprinkle over a little more flour, then wrap the pastry in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Lightly oil the inside of a 25cm non-stick loose-bottomed tart tin.
• Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour, then carefully roll out the pastry, turning it every so often, until you've got a circle about 0.5cm thick.
• Roll the pastry over the rolling pin, then unroll it into the tin, making sure you push it into all the sides.
• Trim off any extra pastry, and use it to patch any holes, then prick the base of the case all over with a fork, cover with clingfilm, and pop it into the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• Line the pastry case with a large piece of greaseproof paper, pushing it right into the sides.
• Fill the pastry case right up to the top with uncooked rice, and bake blind for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Take the case out, carefully remove the rice (save it for baking blind another time) and greaseproof paper, and return the case to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes, until it's firm and almost biscuit-like. Leave to cool completely.
• Finely grate most of the orange zest into a bowl and whisk with 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar and the cream until you get a silky mixture that forms soft peaks.
• Put half the berries into another bowl and use a fork to mash them up with the remaining tablespoon of vanilla sugar. Break up the meringue nests into rough pieces.
• Gently fold the mushed-up berries, and the meringue pieces, into the cream.
• Tip the cream mixture into the cooled tart case and gently shake it to help spread it out to the edges. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly, then sprinkle the remaining berries all over the top.
• Finely grate over the remaining orange zest and serve right away, with a dusting of icing sugar.

QUICK AND EASY FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• For the tarts: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry. Cut the puff pastry sheets in half, making 4 rectangles. Place 2 puff pastry rectangles on each sheet pan. Set aside.
• Add the blueberries and strawberries to separate bowls. Divide the granulated sugar and lemon juice between the bowls. Season each with a pinch of salt and stir until well combined.
• Divide the blueberries between 2 of the puff pastry rectangles, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. Do the same with the strawberries and the remaining puff pastry rectangles. Pinch the corners of each rectangle, creating a slight lip. Brush the edges with the cream.
• Bake in the lower half of the oven until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.
• For the whipped cream: While the tarts bake, add the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, whip until soft and billowy. Transfer to a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve.
• Transfer the tarts to a cutting board. Let the tarts cool slightly before slicing approximately 6 times across each tart to create thin slices. Transfer to a serving platter. Scatter the mint leaves over the tart pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve alongside the whipped cream.

QUICK CLASSIC BERRY TART

Steps:

• Beat pastry cream with a whisk until it is smooth. Fill crust with enough cream to come almost to edge of rim, and smooth top. Arrange berries in concentric circles over top of tart. If you are using strawberries, cut them in half from top to bottom.
• Bring jelly and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a microwave oven or over heat. Working with a pastry feather or brush, dab each berry with a spot of jelly. If you would like, you can glaze entire surface of tart, including pastry cream that peeks through berries, although you may need more glaze.

ROSE-SCENTED BERRY TART WITH AN ALMOND SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust, place 1/4 cup flour and the almonds in a food processor. Run until the almonds are finely ground, about 1 minute. Pulse in remaining one and a quarter cups flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt.
• Add the butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add the egg and pulse until the dough comes together. Press dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 4 hours or up to a week.
• To make the pastry cream, pull the rose petals from the stem and drop into a heavy saucepan. Pour in milk and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Strain and discard petals; pour liquid into pot and return to a simmer. (If you are using rosewater, skip the steeping; bring milk to a simmer and stir in the rosewater off the heat.)
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour and sugar. Slowly whisk in the hot milk. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just starts to boil, 1 to 2 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk yolks until pale and thick. Whisking constantly, pour the hot milk mixture into the yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard is thick and smooth (170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Do not let the mixture boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Chill 1 hour before using or up to 5 days.
• When ready to bake the tart, roll the dough out between two sheets of plastic to a 3/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic and line a 9-inch tart pan with the dough; chill for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with baking weights. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Continue baking, uncovered, for 5 to 10 more minutes, until pale golden. Allow tart shell to cool completely before filling.
• Spoon chilled pastry cream into cooled tart shell. Arrange berries over the top of the tart. Serve within 2 hours for the best texture.