BLUEBERRY CUSTARD TARTLETS

Makes 12 tartlets Preparation time 55-60 minutes, plus chilling Cooking time 1hr, 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the blueberry meringue kisses

• 1 quantity meringue kisses (see next page) – follow the instructions up to the stage at which you’re ready to add the flavouring

• Natural blueberry extract, to taste

• Pink food colouring

For the chocolate tartlet shells

• 150g/5oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

• 120g/4¼oz icing sugar

• 2 medium eggs, at room temperature

• 275g/10oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting and flouring the tins

• 25g/1oz cocoa powder

• A pinch of salt

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the blueberry custard

• 400g/14oz blueberry purée (see next page) made with 520g/18oz fresh blueberries

• 100g/4oz caster sugar

• ½ tsp pectin

• 6 egg yolks

• 2 medium eggs

• 150g/5oz unsalted butter, softened

For decoration

• Fresh edible violet or pansy blossoms

• Fresh lemon balm or mint leaves

• Fresh blueberries

• Dried edible rose petals

1. Start by making the blueberry meringue kisses (see below). Preheat the oven to 80°C, 175°F, Gas ¼ and line 2 baking trays with parchment. Add a drop of blueberry extract to the meringue mixture. Mix about 1 tbsp of the meringue with a drop of pink food colour and blend together with a palette knife until all the colour specks have dispersed. Add this back into the meringue and mix in until you have an even pastel shade. Spoon half of the meringue into a large piping bag fitted with a narrow star nozzle. Spoon the other half into a large piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

2. Pipe round meringue kisses with the round nozzle onto the prepared baking tray – the bases should be just under 2cm/¾in. Pipe star-shaped meringue kisses with the star nozzle on the second baking tray – with bases around 2.5cm/1in. The difference in size can be achieved by simply squeezing the bag for longer to increase the size.

3. Bake for about 1 hour or until the meringues can be lifted clean off the tray. Leave to cool.

4. To make the tartlet shells, grease 12 x 10cm/4in round tartlet tins with butter and lightly dust with flour. Chill the tins while you make the pastry.

5. Put the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream together until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

6. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Slowly add it to the butter mix. When the mix has come together, transfer the dough to a lightly floured, smooth work surface. Shape the dough into a ball and work it with your hands, stretching it and re-gathering it for a short while. This will work the gluten in the flour and toughen the dough slightly, which will make the tartlet shells crisper after baking. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.

7. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces and, one at a time, roll each out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm/ 1/ 8in. Lay the pastry over the tartlet tins and gently push down the middle and sides using a small piece of dough. Trim the excess off using a kitchen knife. Prick the bases with a fork and chill for 20 minutes.

8. Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas 5. Bake the pastry cases in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Leave the tartlets to cool on a wire rack, then unmould from the tins when completely cool.

9. To make the blueberry custard, add half the sugar to the still hot blueberry purée (see below) and bring it back to a boil. Put the remaining sugar and the pectin in a bowl and mix them together.

10. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together. Add the sugar and pectin mix to the eggs and combine. Pour the boiling blueberry purée onto the egg-and-sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Once combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and bring back to a gentle boil. Cook on a low heat for about 5 minutes while whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the custard to a bowl.

11. Place a sugar thermometer in the custard and cover as much of the top of the custard as possible with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming. Let it cool to 59°C/138°F, then add the soft butter, a little at a time, while quickly whisking the custard to emulsify the mixture.

12. Use the blueberry custard to fill the tartlet shells to the top and level the tops off with a palette knife. Place in the fridge to cool.

13. Shortly before serving, decorate each tartlet with one of each of the meringue kisses. Garnish with fresh edible flowers, lemon balm or mint leaves, blueberries and dried rose petals.