MAZUREK (lemon cream tart with white chocolate & rose petals)

Serves 8 Takes 45-50 minutes, plus chilling and setting

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry

• 300g/11oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 200g/7oz cold butter, plus extra for greasing

• 100g/4oz icing sugar

• 2 tbsp sour cream or natural yoghurt

• 2 eggs, separated

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste For the filling

• 2 eggs

• Grated zest of 1 lemon plus 80ml/31/4fl oz lemon juice

• 100g/4oz butter, cubed

• 100g/4oz good-quality white chocolate, chopped

To decorate (optional)

• Edible dried rose petals

• Good-quality white chocolate shavings

• Dried fruit and nuts

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the butter. Rub together with your fingers until you have a mixture like fine breadcrumbs, then add the icing sugar, sour cream or yoghurt, egg yolks and vanilla and bring the dough together. There is no need to knead. (You can use a food processor, which is even easier.) Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

2. I like to make my tart in a fluted, rectangular tart mould (measuring 36x12cm/14x4in) with a loose base, but it can rectangular, oval, round or square. If you are using a tart tin with sides, or fluted edges, lightly brush the tin with melted butter before using.

3. Dust a board with a little flour and roll out the pastry to around the thickness of a pound coin, or 3mm/1/8in, and carefully press the pastry into the tin and into the edges.

4. Preheat your oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.

5. Prick the bottom of the tart case with a fork and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the base looks evenly cooked and golden.

6. To make the filling, in a small pan, beat the eggs and add the lemon zest and juice. Gently warm over a very low heat, stirring all the time. Add the butter, bit by bit, until the mixture starts to thicken. While the mixture is warm, add the white chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool the lemon cream before filling the tart case.

7. Once filled, refrigerate your tart for at least 1 hour to set, then decorate as desired.