Make the most of Dorset’s luscious summer berries with Lisa Osman’s featherlight sweet pastry tart

This sweet pastry recipe makes enough for two tarts (use a flat round tart tin measuring 25cm diameter) so you can have one spare in the freezer. Wrap this well and label whether it is sweet or plain pastry clearly and date it. Then you have a flan case ready to pop in the oven at a moments notice!

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Ingredients

• 450g plain flour

• 110g caster sugar (omit sugar if you wish to make a savoury flan)

• 225g unsalted butter (cut into cubes)

• 2 free range eggs

• Additional 2 free range egg yolks (freeze the whites for a future meringue)

• Your choice of flavourings for sweet pastry such as citrus zest (orange or lemon), vanilla extract or cocoa powder

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Method

1 In a food processor pulse the butter, sugar and egg together until it looks like scrambled egg. Add the flour and flavourings, pulse gently until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Take care not to over work.

2 Remove the pastry on to a lightly floured surface, and bring together, kneading very gently to ensure you have a smooth dough.

3 Cut in half and shape both pieces into a round or rectangle, depending on the tart tin you intend to line. Wrap the pastry and rest it in a cool place for 20 minutes before you roll it out to line the greased tart tins.

4 To bake blind: Freeze both pastry cases until you need them (wrap up and label) this is important if you are cooking your pastry in the AGA as it will give you a better result. When you wish to cook one of the cases, remove from the freezer and line it with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Cook from frozen on the floor of your roasting oven for approximately 15 – 20 minutes. If you are using a conventional oven set the temperature to 190°C / Gas Mark 5 and place a baking sheet inside to preheat. Slide the pastry case (still in its tin) directly on to the hot baking sheet to cook. This will help to ensure that the base cooks crisply.

5 To fill: Allow the cooked pastry case to cool then remove from the tin and fill with crème patissiere and your choice of summer berries (for a 25cm round tart tin we suggest 450g of fresh berries). Here at All Hallows we like to glaze the tart too.

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