Carina Contini's Kitchen Garden Cookbook by Carina Contini

Author:Carina Contini
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MBI
Published: 2014-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

very fancy strawberry tarts

with toffee strawberries

Fresh strawberry, raspberry or tayberry tarts made once a year with the first fruits of the new season give a different flavour each month for at least three months. If you have a visitor coming for afternoon tea, these are so easy, as the pastry cases can be made up to a week in advance and stored in an airtight container. The toffee strawberries and cream can be prepared on the day and the tarts assembled just before your guest arrives. The deliciously crisp pastry and soft cream filling with a sharp berry kick make them irresistible.

SERVES 4–6

6 tsp home-made strawberry jam

6 tbsp double cream

4–6 toffee strawberries (see below)

for the pastry

200g unsalted butter, at room temperature

100g caster sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

250g plain flour, sieved, plus extra for dusting

90g cornflour

To make the pastry, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour and cornflour. Transfer to a floured surface and knead together to make a firm dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Roll the pastry out onto a floured surface and use a cutter to cut circles about the thickness of a two-pound coin and large enough to fit your chosen pastry cases. Lay a circle in each pastry case and put the filled cases in a shallow muffin tray. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the pastry, then transfer the tray with the filled pastry cases to the freezer and chill for 30 minutes. This will help stop the pastry from shrinking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. To assemble, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Place 1 tsp strawberry jam in the bottom of each pastry case, followed by a generous spoonful of whipped cream. Decorate with a toffee strawberry.

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