French food Friday...French Fruit Tarts

recipe and photo from here

Bonjour mes belles,

I hope that you are having a fabulous week. This week''s  recipe is a sure to please one and everyone loves French tarts especially the French....

French fruit tarts

Makes: 8
Preparation time:  45 minutes, plus chilling time
Cooking time: 25 minutes

You will need

For the sweet pastry:
250g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
Pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
85g caster sugar
1 egg, plus 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

For the crème pâtissière:
4 egg yolks
90g caster sugar
50g plain flour
350ml whole milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped out

For the topping:
400g mixed fruit, such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, red and white currants, hulled and halved, if necessary
6 tbsp redcurrant jelly 

 

Method                                                                                               

1. To make the sweet pastry, in a mixing bowl rub together the flour, salt and butter using your fingertips. Stir in the sugar and add the whole egg and two egg yolks. Mix with a fork and then your fingers until the dough holds together, but don’t overwork it or the pastry will be tough (this can also be done in a food processor). Wrap in cling film, flatten into a round and chill for at least one hour.

2. To make the crème pâtissière, put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk for about two minutes until pale, thickened and creamy. Gradually fold in the flour. Heat the milk and vanilla seeds to just below boiling point. Slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking well. Return the mixture to the cleaned pan and bring to the boil, stirring to prevent lumps forming. Turn the heat down and simmer for three minutes, stirring until it reaches the consistency of thick custard. Spoon into a bowl and cover the surface with buttered baking paper to stop a skin forming. Chill once cooled.

3. Lightly grease eight nine centimetre loose-bottomed tart tins (or use a large 23 centimetre tart tin with butter). Divide the pastry into eight pieces and roll out, one piece at a time, on a lightly floured work surface to 12 centimetre rounds. Line the tins with the pastry, trimming any excess. Chill for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line each pastry case with baking paper and baking beans and put the tins on a baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes (if you are baking a large tart bake for 25 minutes). Remove the paper and beans and bake for another five to eight minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked. Leave to cool, then remove the pastry cases from the tins.

5. Fill the pastry cases with the crème pâtissière and arrange the fruit on top. Gently heat the redcurrant jelly with one tablespoon water, stirring until it melts. Leave to cool slightly, then brush the glaze over the fruit.

 

....bon appetit à tous, Leeann x