Strawberry Tarts

Strawberry tarts are delicious, for dinner parties, afternoon teas and on picnics. These tarts are easy to make and all the ingredients can be prepared in advance but the final assembly of them is best left up to an hour in advance as the pastry can become moist.

Wine Recommendation: Champagne springs to mind but if you don’t want to push the boat out our Sieur d'Arques Cremant from Limoux will do nicely. See The Mixed Case for details.

Portions: 8 individual tarts

Preparation: 20 minutes plus 1 1/2 hours resting of the pastry

Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Sweet Pastry

• 500g plain flour
• 250g unsalted butter
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 large egg

• All ingredients should be at room temperature.
• For convenience you may use a commercial pre-made sweet pastry

Tarts

• pastry cream (see recipe)
• 250g small strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced in half

To Glaze

• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Method

1. Sweet Pastry Method 1 (Creaming): Place the butter and sugar in mixing bowl and beat them together until they are light and fluffy. On a low speed slowly add the egg to the butter mixture and mix it until combined. Add the flour slowly at a low speed until combined then mix it briefly at a higher speed so that it forms a dough. Place the pastry in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to rest.
2. Sweet Pastry Method 2 (Rub in): Place the flour in a bowl or on a clean work top and rub in the butter until you have a bread crumb consistency. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Mix the egg and sugar together in a bowl until well combined. Pour the mixture into the well in the flour. Mix the egg mixture into the flour to form a dough. Place the pastry in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to rest.
3. To Cook: Remove the pastry from the fridge 10 minutes before you need it. Roll it out on a well floured surface until it is around .5-.75mm thick. Lightly grease 8x10cm tart tins (or nearest equivalent size, any leftover pastry can be frozen for future use). Line the tart tins with the pastry. Place the lined tin in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Blind bake the pastry for 8-10 minutes until they are firm and with a little colour. Remove the pastry from the oven an allow it to cool.
5. Strawberry Tarts: Distribute the pastry cream evenly among the tart bases so that they are half to two thirds full. Place the strawberry halves cut side downwards on the cream in circular fashion until they are filled.
6. Glaze: Melt the raspberry jam in a saucepan for a couple of minutes. Brush the melted jam over the tops of the strawberries with a pastry brush. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve. They are best served within a couple of hours of making.

Mixed berry tart

1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup caster sugar
1.5 cups plain flour
125g unsalted butter, chilled, cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 punnet of blueberries
1 punnet of raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
extra 1 egg, beaten
whipped cream to serve

1. Preheat oven to 200 C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Put nuts and sugar ina food processor and process until ground. Add flour and process until combined. Add butter and process until mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process til it comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
2. Roll out dough on a floured surface to a 32cm round about 5mm thick, transfer to prepared tray. Combine berries and sugar ina bowl, then spoon onto centre of pastry.
3. Fold and pleat pastry over berries, leaving an opening in the centre. Brush pastr with extra egg and bake for 20-25 mins or until golden. Serve with cream.

Pear and blueberry crumble tart

pastry:
1.5 cups plain flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
125g butter, chopped
1/3 cup chilled water

crumble:
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup roasted hazlenuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2/3 cup SR flour, sifted
80g butter, chopped

filling:
3 firm pears
1 tbsp flour
1 punnet of blueberies or 200g frozen blueberries

1. To make pastry: process flour, sugar, and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With motor running, add water and process until mixture comes together. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly to form a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
2. To make crumble: put sugar, hazelnuts, coconut and flour ina medium mixing bowl. Add butter and rub in with your fignertips until mixture resembles coasre breadcrumbs.
3. Preheat oven to 200C. Brush a 5cm deep 18-20 cm fluted loose bottomed flan tin with melted butter. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Place pastry in tin and trim excess. Freeze for 10 mins. Line with baking paper and beads and blind bake for 10 mins, remove bead and return to oven for 6-7 mins or golden. Stand on a wire rack to cool.
4. To make filing: peel, core and cute pears into thick slices. Put in bowl and toss with flour. Spread pear and blueberries in pastry case. Sprinkle with crumble and bake for 25-30 mins until golden. Allow to stand for 25-30 mins before serving with cream.

Treacle tart

1 1/2 cups plain flour
2 tblsp pure icing sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
125g chilled butter, cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra flour, for kneading
melted butter, for greasing
1 1/2 cups treacle
extra 2 eggs lightly beaten
finely grated rind of 1 orange
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup fresh rye breadcrumbs
icing sugar for dusting
cream or ice-cream to serve

1. Put flour, icing sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and process for 30 seconds or until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and pulse until mixture comes together. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Form int a 3 cm round, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30mins or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 200 C. Brush 23cm pie dish with butter. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 2mm thick. Line prepared dish wit pastry and trim. Refrigerate for 15mins. Cover with baking paper and fill with baking beads. Bake for 15 mins, remove beads and bake for another 10 mins. Cool on a wire rack.
3. combine treacle, extra egg, rind and juice in a jug. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pastry base and pour over treacle mixture. Bake for 25 mins until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Serve with cream or ice-cream.

Chocolate tart

melted butter for greasing
250g pkt chocolate coated biscuits
80g butter melted, cooled
300ml thickened cream
300g dark chocolate finely chopped
extra 40g butter, chopped
2 tbsp frangelico
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp cocoa or drinking chocolate

1. Brush a 20cm square fluted flan tin with butter. Put biscuits in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Add butter and stir until well combined. Press into base and sides. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
2. Put cream in a heavy based pan on medium heat. When cream just comes to the bil, remove from heat. Add chocolate and extra butter and stir until mixture is smooth. Add liqueur and stir until well combined. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate for 3 hours or until filling is set.
3. Remove pie from tin and transfer to a serving plate, dust with combined icing sugar/cocoa mixture.

Chocolate, caramel and hazelnut tarts

100g butter, chopped
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup rice flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dutch cocoa
1/4 cup cold water

Filling:
395g can sweetened condesed milk
50g butter
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts

Chocolate top:
1/4 cup thickened cream
2 tbsp of nutella or similar
80g dark chocolate, chopped

1. To make base, preheat oven to 200C. Process butter, flour, sugar and cocoa in a food processor until combined. Add water to processor and process until mixture forms a ball. Knead lightly on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
2. Roll pastry out on a floured surface until 3mm thick. Use an 11cm round cookie cutter to cut out 6 rounds. Gently press rounds into a jumbo 6 hole muffin tin. Line tart shells with baking paper and fill the bases with baking beans or rice. Bake for 10 mins, reduce temp to 180C, remove paper and beans and bake for a further 10 mins. Cool slightly.
3. To make filling, combine condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan and cook gently over a medium heat for 10-12 mins, stirring constantly until mixture darkens and thickens. Stir through nuts then remove from heat. Divide mixture among tart cases and bake for a further 6-8 mins until caramel is almost set. Allow to cool.
4. To make topping, place cream hazelnut spread and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and ehat in the microwave on medium for 3-4 mins. Whisk until smooth. Allow to stand at room temp for 1 hr, until thickened. Spoon chocolate mixture on top of each tart and serve.

Lime tart

250g digestive biscuits
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/3 cup sugar
90g butter, melted

filling:
600ml sour cream
finely grated rind of 2 limes
3 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp cornflour
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin until fine crumbs are formed. Place the biscuit crumbs in a medium bowl. Add the coconut and sugar and mix to combine. Add the butter and mix to combine.
2. Spoon biscuit mixture into a 25cm loose bottom flan tin. Using a glass press evenly to distribute the crumbs around tin and up the sides. Place on a large flat tray in the oven and b ake for 7-8 mins or until it starts to turn golden brown. Stand on tray for 10 mins to cool.
3. To make the filling, place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
4. Carefully pour in the filling, return to the oven and bake at 180C for 20 mins. Remove from oven and stand to cool. When cold, refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.

Orange ricotta tartlets

melted butter for greasing,
2 cups of plain flour
2 tbsp icing sugar
125g butter cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra flour for kneading
extra egg, lightly beaten
icing sugar for dusting

Ricotta filling:
250g fresh ricotta
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp orange essence
1 tbsp plain flour

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Brush a 12-hol patty cake tin with melted butter. process flour and icing sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until dough just comes together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead. Form dough into a 2cm thick disc, wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins or until firm.
2. Roll out dough to 5mm thick and cut out 12 rounds using a 8cm biscuit cutter. Place round in prepared tin, prick base of pastry shell with a fork and freeze for 5 mins. Put in oven and bake for 10 mins or until light golden. Stand on wire rack to cool. Reduce oven to 180C.
3. To make filling, put ricotta and icing sugar in a medium mixing bowl and add egg, orange rind, essence and flour and whisk to combine. Spoon ricotta mix into pastry shells.
4. Using left over pastry cut 5mm wide strips long enough to cover pastry shells from side to side. Top each pastry shells with 2 strips to form a cross. Brush with extra egg. Bake for 15-20 mins or until ricotta mixture is firm and crosses are golden. Cool on wire rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Macadamia nut tartlets

Melted butter for greasing
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp golden syrup
25g butter, melted
1 egg
2 tbsp thickened cream
1 tbsp cointreau
1 cup unsalted macadmai nuts, chopped

Pastry:
125 g butter
125 g caster sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
175g plain flour
75 g SR flour

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Grease six 10cm round loose bottomed flan tins with butter.
2. To make pastry, cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer. Add egg and beat, add yolk and vanilla and beat. Add flours and beat. Turn out dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 mins.
3. Divide pastry into 6 rounds. Roll out 1 at a time between baking paper to fit into prepared pans. Prick base with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 mins.
4. Put tins on a baking tray, line each with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 mins, remove beans and bake again for 5 mins.
5. Reduce oven to 170C. Combine sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Whisk in syrup, butter, egg, cream and cointreau. Divide nuts between cases and pour over mixture.
6. Bake for 25 mins. Dust with icing sugar and serve with cream.

Roasted vegetable tart

1 garlic clove
1 tbsp capers
1 leek
2 desiree potatoes
1 red onion
2 zucchini
3 roma tomatoes
olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups plain wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup cold water
extra flour for kneading
extra cup grated parmesan

1. preheat oven to 200C. Line a large oven tray with baking paper. Peel and crush garlic clove with capers until a paste.
2. Thinly slice leek and put in a large bowl. Cut potatoes into paper thin slices and add to leek. Cut oinon and zucchini into rounds and tomatoes into 1cm thick slices and add to leek. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and vinegar and toss to combine. Spread vegetable mixture on prepared tray and bake for 15-20 minutes.
3. Sift wholemeal flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, add grated parmesan and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the extra virgin olive oil and water, and mix to form a stiff dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 10 mins.
4. Brush the base and sides of a 26cm springform tin with olive oil. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of plastic into a 5mm thick round, large enough to completely line the tin. Removing plastic, turn pastry into tin. Spread paste over pastry base and top with roasted vegies. Sprinkle over extra parmesan and fold in any overhanging pastry. Bake for 25-30 mins or until pastry is golden and crisp. Serve immediately.