Strawberry Tart

I used Ruele’s no 1 strawberries from Borough market. Each one was as big as a tangerine! They are a very tasty, well-balanced strawberry, and in a smaller flan case they make a very impressive tart. Of course, any type of strawberry will work just as well.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C or Gas 4.
2. Prepare the strawberries. Wash and hull the strawberries. Pick out half the nicest and set aside. Cut the remainder into slices and put in a bowl. Add a teaspoon of sugar, mix gently and leave to macerate for half an hour.
3. Prepare the pastry base. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 4mm. Line your tart tin trimming the excess above the rim. Patch any holes or breaks with spare pastry.
4. Cook the pastry base. Using a fork, prod holes into the pastry – this allows steam to escape and stop the pastry bulging. Using parchment paper or tinfoil fill the pastry cases with dried beans or ceramic baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the paper or tinfoil and beans and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the base is cooked. Allow to cool.
5. Finish the base. Once cool trim the excess pastry from the rims using a sharp knife. Spread the jam on the base. Strain the strawberry slices and layer on top of the jam.
6. Make the filling. Beat the cream with a whisk until it forms stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk the custard with the vanilla and 2 tsp of icing sugar. Fold the custard into the cream. Taste for sweetness and if necessary add more icing sugar.
7. Finish the tart. Cut the remaining strawberries in half and arrange on the tart. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

To make homemade sweet shortcrust pastry

1. Beat the sugar and butter. Use an electric mixer and beat until well blended – add the vanilla and zest and mix again.
2. Add the eggs. Use the blender to beat the eggs into the sugar and butter mix – only until roughly incorporated.
3. Add the flour. Use the blender on low speed and mix in half the flour, then using a silicon spatula mix the remainder into the mix to form a rough ball of dough. If necessary, sprinkle a little water to help bring it together or if it is very dry add the remaining egg white.
4. Knead the dough. But only enough to form a consistently smooth ball of dough. Cover in cling film and rest in the fridge for an hour.
5. Follow the instructions for making a pastry case as above.

NB: You can also reverse stages 3 and 3 above: An alternative method to make the dough is to add the flour to the eggs and sugar until it is the texture of bread crumbs – and then add the eggs. I’ve done this both ways and cannot detect a huge difference. What is important is that the dough should not be overworked in either method.