Doing berry well
Summer raspberries, blueberries and blackberries – these little jewels of colour and flavour make amazing desserts, says NZ House & Garden food editor Sally Butters.
Blueberry almond tart
This gorgeous blueberry and citrus-scented tart is best eaten on the day it is made but will keep for several days in an airtight container in a cool spot.
400g sweet short pastry
110g butter, softened
cup caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 small orange, finely grated zest 1 small lemon, finely grated zest 1 tbsp each orange and lemon juice 140g ground almonds
200g blueberries, fresh or frozen 25g flaked almonds
Roll out pastry to fit a 35cm x 13cm oblong tart tin. Line tin with pastry and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 200C. Line pastry case with baking paper and baking beans and bake 10 minutes, then remove paper and beans and bake a further 4-5 minutes until firm and just starting to colour.
Lower oven temperature to 170C. For the filling, cream butter and sugar then beat in egg and citrus zest. Add citrus juices, ground almonds and half the blueberries and gently fold in.
Spoon filling into the pastry case, scatter over the remaining berries and top with flaked almonds. Bake about 30 minutes, until the filling is set and starting to colour. Cool tart on a wire rack. Serve dusted with icing sugar. Serves 6-8
Blackberry & plum sorbet
Red flesh plums and dark berries create a stunning sorbet. This recipe can be made with or without an icecream machine.
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
2 cups cold water
1 vanilla pod
1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen 6 red flesh plums, stones removed 3 tbsp lemon juice
Place sugar, water and vanilla pod in a large saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Add berries and plums and simmer for about 10 minutes until fruit has softened. Take off heat and allow to cool.
Discard vanilla pod and blend fruit to a puree then pass through a sieve to remove excess skin and seeds. Mix in lemon juice and refrigerate until well chilled.
Once chilled, churn in an icecream maker to form a soft sorbet then transfer to a freezersafe container and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer at least 5 minutes before serving.
If you do not have an icecream maker, pour the chilled pulp into a shallow, freezer-safe dish and rake with a fork once or twice during freezing. Makes about 1 litre
Raspberry & nectarine frangipane tarts
Raspberries have a nice sharpness that combines perfectly with the sweetness of the frangipane and roasted nectarines in these delectable individual tarts.
500g sweet short pastry
10 small nectarines, halved, stoned 1 tbsp caster sugar, plus 75g extra 150g almonds
75g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp flour
2 eggs
tsp vanilla extract
20 raspberries
On a lightly floured surface, or between 2 sheets of baking paper, roll out the pastry to 2mm-3mm thick. Cut out 20 x 9cm-10cm circles and use to line 20 x 6cm tart tins (or use muffin tin holes). Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Heat oven to 180C. Line each pastry circle with baking paper and fill with baking beans or raw rice. Bake for 18 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Remove the paper and beans, and set the pastry aside to cool.
Place the nectarine halves in a roasting dish, cut side up, and sprinkle with the tablespoon of sugar. Roast for 20 minutes then set aside to cool.
Grind almonds to fine crumbs in a food processor. Set aside.
Process the butter and 75g sugar until pale and creamy, then add the flour and mix to combine. With the motor running, add eggs, vanilla and finally the ground almonds, processing until combined.
Spoon a tablespoon of the almond mix into each tart shell. Gently press a nectarine half into each tart, then top with a raspberry. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 20