Raspberry tartlets
Here’s an impressive summer dessert to have prepared ahead of guests coming over. You will need to leave plenty of time to bake the tart cases blind and for the crème pat to cool.
Equipment and preparation: You will need eight 10cm/4in loose-bottomed metal tart tins and baking beans.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 175g/6oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
For the crème pâtissière
- 150ml/5fl oz whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 25g/1oz caster sugar
- 25g/1oz plain flour
- 1 free-range egg
- 75ml/2½fl oz double cream
For the topping
- 4 tbsp raspberry jam
- 450g/1lb raspberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
To make the pastry, put the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and blend again until it is just combined and forms a ball.
Dust a work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it. Roll the pastry out with a rolling pin. Cut it into eight rounds a little bigger than the tins (as you will need to line the sides also). Line each tin with a disc of pastry and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
To bake blind, prick the pastry bases, line the tins with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the beans and paper and return the bases to the oven for 5 minutes, until cooked and a pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, to make the crème pâtissière, put the milk and vanilla in a saucepan. Heat until it is just scalding (you'll just be able to dip your finger in).
Put the sugar, flour and egg in a mixing bowl and whisk. Pour in half the hot milk and whisk until smooth. Pour in the remaining hot milk.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, until very thick – this could take about 2–3 minutes.
Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge until cold. Once cold, pour in the double cream, while whisking constantly. Spoon the crème pâtissière into the tart cases and chill in the fridge.
To make the glaze, heat the jam in a saucepan with a tablespoon of water and whisk to combine. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a small bowl.
Arrange the raspberries standing upright on the crème pâtissière and brush the warm glaze over the top.
Recipe Tips
If you're short on time, use shop-bought tartlet cases.