STRAWBERRY CUSTARD TART WITH MĀNUKA HONEY, ROSÉ & LAVENDER

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 45 MINUTES PLUS 2 HOURS INFUSION/MACERATION/COOLING / COOKING 40 MINUTES

Here I've switched up the classic custard tart by using springtime ingredients like strawberry and lavender. Plus, in anticipation of summer, there’s a splash of rosé too. The pastry is first baked blind and then baked again with the filling.

TART PASTRY

150g butter, cubed 225g standard flour

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk extra 75g caster sugar pinch salt

STRAWBERRIES

1 tablespoon mānuka honey 100ml rosé

250g strawberries, sliced

CUSTARD FILLING 500ml cream 6g lavender flower buds 9 egg yolks

75g mānuka honey

Allow the cubed butter to reach room temperature and then make the pastry by rubbing together the flour and butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (room-temperature butter makes this process much easier). Whisk egg and egg yolk together. Add the flour mix plus the sugar and salt to a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle. Add the eggs slowly to the bowl mixing until the dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Macerate the strawberries by melting the honey in the microwave or a small pan, then combine with the rosé and pour over the strawberries. Allow to macerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, to make the custard, gently heat the cream and the lavender buds in a small saucepan (do not boil). Remove from heat and cover the pan with a tea towel to keep it warm. Infuse for an hour.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and honey together. Bring the cream back to the boil and, just as it boils, pour the hot cream mix over the egg yolk/honey mix, whisking slowly but continuously until combined. Strain the custard through a sieve into a jug, to remove the lavender buds. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Remove pastry from fridge and, on a floured surface, roll out to a 2mm thickness. Spray individual tart cases or one large loose-bottomed tart case with baking spray or grease with butter.

Line the greased tart cases with pastry, making sure to press into the edges - you don’t want any holes, or custard will ooze out. Allow the pastry to lap up and over the sides to trim later.

Cut baking paper into squares large enough to fit inside the tart cases and come up the side. Screw up the paper, then unravel and place on top of the pastry cases. Fill with dried chickpeas, pressing down gently to weight the corners (this helps keep the shape while baking). Leave to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Blind bake tart bases for 20 minutes. Remove baking paper and chickpeas and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on the bench. Trim excess pastry edges. Reduce oven temperature to 150°C.

Pour custard into tart bases until full, return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes until filling is slightly wobbly but set. Cool completely on a rack, then remove from the cases.

Arrange the macerated strawberries on top of the tarts and serve with a good-quality store-bought berry sorbet.