Strawberry tart

Serves 6 to 8

I often forget about this grand original, the strawberry tart. Every time I make it I am surprised at how good it is, which is undoubtedly why it became a classic. Using lime instead of lemon for the pastry cream makes the tart super refreshing and tangy.

For the pastry

180g plain flour, plus extra to dust 65g caster sugar Pinch of salt 1 large egg yolk 100g cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces For the filling

130g caster sugar 3 large egg yolks 1 large egg

30g cornflour, sifted 240ml whole milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp grated lime zest

3 tbsp lime juice 3 tbsp redcurrant jelly

450g strawberries, hulls removed

Mint leaves to serve To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the sugar, salt and egg yolk to the well and mix together slowly with your hands, until combined. Add the butter and rub in well with your fingertips until you have a smooth and homogeneous dough. Form into a ball, cover with cling film, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a circle about 30cm in diameter and around 6mm thick. Use to line the base and sides of a 25cm tart tin, trimming off any excess dough. Prick the base all over with a fork, then cover with cling film. Freeze for 30 minutes to prevent shrinkage during baking. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line the tart shell with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, until the pastry starts to turn golden. Remove the parchment and beans and continue baking for about 5 minutes until the base is golden. Set aside to cool. To make the filling, whisk the sugar, egg yolks and egg together in a large bowl. Whisk in the cornflour. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a low simmer, then slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in the vanilla and lime zest. Transfer to the saucepan, whisk in the lime juice, and cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly until it has the consistency of custard. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to prevent it forming a skin. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Heat the redcurrant jelly with 1 tbsp of water in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for a minute or two, until melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Spoon the custard into the tart shell and smooth the surface. Arrange the strawberries in the tart, then brush the shell and the strawberries with the redcurrant. Serve immediately, scattered with mint leaves, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving.