WHIMBERRY FRUIT TART

OH the joys of summer and the new season whimberrys, they have a very short season and is well worth pestering your greengrocer to get them as generally supermarkets don’t stock them because they are so perishable. The fruit itself is fabulous made into jams and tarts and you’ll find in this recipe the tangy fruit really compliments orange custard.

FOR the Sweet Pastry 250G plain flour 90G icing sugar 120G butter ONE egg PINCH lemon zest

METHOD:

1. For the sweet pastry, in a food processor blend together the flour, sugar and butter until it forms a fine crumb. Add the egg and lemon and knead to a smooth dough, place in the fridge to firm slightly. 2. Lightly dust a work surface with some plain flour and roll out the pastry thinly to about 2mm thick. Use to line six tart cases or alternatively make one large one. 3. Bake in a hot oven 180°C for about five minutes until lightlycoloured and golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. FOR the Pastry Cream ONE pint milk FOUR egg yolks 4OZ caster sugar 2OZ plain flour VANILLA essence ZEST of one orange

METHOD:

1. Heat milk and flavourings in heavy bottom pot. 2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until smooth then add flour and beat until smooth. 3. When milk is almost boiling scoop some milk into the egg mixture and blend then transfer back to milk in pot and whisk while cooking until it thickens. 4. Be sure to cook at leave until the flour is cooked. 5. Store in small container with cling-film directly in contact with the surface of the pudding so no ‘skin’ forms as it cools.

FOR the Whimberry Compote 25G icing sugar WHIMBERRIES ONE tablespoon Grand Marnier

TO Serve:

1. For the whimberry compote place the icing sugar, whimberries and Grand Marnier into a saucepan and heat gently for two to three minutes until starting to pop open. 2. Place a spoon full of pastry cream into each tart, spoon the whimberry compote on top. 3. Place the warm tart on top and finish with a generous scoop of ice-cream.