STRAWBERRY AND MASCARPONE TART
This is one of the most successful simple tarts we do. All the summer freshness of strawberries and the richness of mascarpone. The pastry we use for this tart has a lemon flavour and the quantity given matches the size of the tart tin given above.
Ingredients
175g/6oz plain flour
100g/4oz butter
25g/1oz icing sugar
1 egg yolk
zest of half a lemon
For the filling
25g/1oz caster sugar
275g/10oz mascarpone
150ml cream
half vanilla pod, scraped
zest of half an orange
100g/4oz strawberry or redcurrant jam
450g/16oz(1lb) fresh strawberries, hulled
Method
Rub the flour and butter together, stir in the caster sugar and lemon zest and make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolk and just enough water to form ball with the flour mixture. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge. Roll out to line a 23cm, loose-bottomed tart tin, line with greaseproof paper and put in some baking beans or rice and bake blind for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven, extract the beans and greaseproof paper , egg wash and return to the oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Combine the sugar, mascarpone, cream, vanilla seeds and zest. Whisk until if holds its shape, the consistency is similar to lightly whipped cream. In a saucepan, heat the jam with 1 tablespoon of water. Sieve to remove any pips.
Spread the mascarpone filling in the pastry case. Arrange the strawberries in a decorative manner this only took me minutes to do’ With a pastry brush, glaze the strawberries with the jam mixture.
