Tart Trev

I love a good tart. Lemon tart, raspberry tart, chocolate tarts... Tarts are impressive desserts. They look fantastic and whilst making pastry can a bit fiddly and time consuming, making it from scratch always produces the best results. I made up this dessert for my husband who is not a sweet tooth at all so finding a dessert that he likes is quite a challenge. Anyway, he LOVED this tart so i've named it after him. It's simple, fresh, easy and something you can prepare well in advance before you have friends over and then assemble just before serving. It looks great too!



Tart Trev

Ingredients:

Pastry: This pastry is so short and sweet. It holds it shape while melting in the mouth but not being too crumbly. The perfect texture.

1 1/2 cups plain flour
180 grms chilled unsalted butter
4 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted

Filling:
200 grm mascarpone
300 mls thickened cream
3 tablespoon icing sugar
Fresh strawberries diced
1 small tin passionfruit pulp or fresh passionfruit pulp
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essense
Toasted flaked almonds.

Put the flour, half the icing sugar and butter in a food processor and process unti the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of chilled water, then process until the mixture comes together to form a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Lightly grease 8 10 cm loose-bottomed tart pans. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface, then use it to line the pans. Cover and refrigerate for a further 15 minutes. Line each tart case with baking paper nad fill with uncooked rice or pastry weights. Blind bake for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beans and weights, then bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Dice strawberries and mix with 1 tablespoon icing mixture. Place in fridge until needed.

In a bowl, beat the cream until thick, then add the mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.

Before serving, fill the tart shells with cream mixture. Dust the rims with icing sugar and place the strawberries on top of tarts. Drizzle with passionfruit pulp and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds.