Summer berry tart

The great British summer doesn't have much going for it, it can be wonderful, but more often than not it is a complete washout. However, nothing says British summer more than strawberries, in season right now they are tasting delicious.

This Summer berry tart is the perfect way to use them.

I used a recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'The family cookbook', this tart is a sweet pastry tart base filled with creme patissiere and covered in summer berries, I am using strawberries and raspberries.

Summer berry tart

Sweet pastry:

200g plain flour

50g icing sugar

125g butter

pinch of salt

2 free range egg yolks

Sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour with the salt, until it resembles very fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolks, stirring with a knife, using your hands, bring the dough into a ball.

Knead very lightly until it is smooth.

Flatten slightly, wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Place a baking sheet in the oven and heat to 190c.

Roll out pastry and line a 23 cm flan tin with the pastry, trim any overhang and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Prick the tart base with a fork, line with baking parchment and fill with baking beads, bake for 15 minutes.

Remove baking beads and bake for a further 3-4 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Creme patissiere:

50g unsalted butter

25g plain flour

50g caster sugar

2 free range eggs

150ml milk

2 capfulls of vanilla extract

Melt the butter over a low heat, tip in the flour and sugar, break in the eggs and beat until smooth.

Pour in the milk, stir continuously until thickened, turn off the heat and whisk until smooth.

Put back on the heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the time.

Stir in the vanilla extract and leave to cool.

Fruit:
250g each of strawberries (halved) and raspberries

3 tablespoons of strawberry jam

Spoon the filling into the tart base and chill for 30 minutes.

Arrange fruit on top of the creme patissiere.

Gently heat the jam in a pan and brush over the fruit.

This tart is perfect for a summers day, light and fragrant and very adaptable depending on what fruit is in season.