Summer Berries Fruit Tart

Over the weekend I took advantage of having a variety of summer berries in the fridge and made another bake from “In the Mood for Entertaining” by Jo Pratt. This second offering from the book is this recipe for Favourite Fruit Tart. On this occasion it became Summer Berries Fruit Tart, this recipe is very adaptable and you could use any fruit combo. I don’t often make my own pastry and normally go the ready-made route but this time I decided to venture out of my comfort zone. I knew there was a reason why I avoid making my own, as the pastry gave me some trouble but I managed to make it work and it didn’t turn out at all bad in the end. Once the pastry was done the rest was child’s play. I was dubious about the tart having no other filling than the berries with the sprinkling of icing sugar but it turned out wonderful. I am definitely going to make this tart again and try it with other fruit combos, especially using apricots! I served this gorgeous summer tart with a generous helping of double cream.

Summer Berries Fruit Tart

Serves 8

Ingredients
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g butter
75g caster sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
750g-1kg of your chosen fruit
Icing sugar, to dust

You will need a 23cm to 24cm plain or fluted shallow tart/flan tin.

To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor and blitz briefly until it resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add the egg a little at a time until the pastry binds together. Knead very lightly on a floured surface to a smooth dough.

Roll out the pastry and line the tart tin. Trimming any excess pastry. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to 2 days) covered loosely with clingfilm.

Preheat the oven to 160oC/fan 140oC/gas 2-3. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

To prepare the tart, work from the outside in, really packing the fruit into the pastry case and dust with a generous amount of icing sugar.

Place in the oven on top of the hot baking tray. Cook for 30 minutes before reducing the oven temperature to 140oC/fan 120oC/gas 1-2 and cooking for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the fruits are becoming golden on top.

Cool in the tin slightly before carefully removing and dusting again with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

St Clement's Drizzle Cake

This week I received Jo Pratt’s new book “In the Mood for Entertaining” from my latest Amazon late night shopping spree. I loved her previous book “In the Mood for Food”, which is totally girly and pink and very me. Her new book has page after page of delicious and inspiring recipes that I am really looking forward to making. I’m excited to present my first offering from this book, St Clement’s Drizzle Cake. Don’t you just love the name of this cake? I presume it originates from the poem about execution turned nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons! I remember playing the singing game associated with this nursery rhyme in Primary school. Only today did I realise its origins but maybe the lines “Here comes a Chopper to Chop off your Head, Chip chop chip chop - the Last Man's Dead”, should have given it away! The cake, in hubby’s words was described as... “mmm that’s really nice”, which was the correct response if he didn't want to lose his head, hahaha! This quick cake recipe produces a very light and moist sponge that is bursting with those wonderful citrusy flavours soaked through, finished with a crunchy sugary top. The perfect refreshing summertime cake!

St Clement’s Drizzle Cake

Ingredients
175g caster sugar
175g softened butter
Grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
4 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
175g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180oC/fan 160oC/gas 4.

Grease and line the base of 1 large (900g) or 2 small (450g) loaf tins.

Place the caster sugar, butter and zest of the lemon and orange in a bowl and beat together until pale and creamy. Add the milk, and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a spoon of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling. Mix in the remaining flour. Spoon into the prepared tin/tins and level the surface flat.

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes for a large cake or 30 minutes for the smaller cakes until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.

While the cake is cooking, place the lemon and orange juice in a saucepan, bring to the boil and allow to reduce in quantity to about 3 tablespoons. Leave to cool, and then stir in the granulated sugar so it just starts to dissolve.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick several times with a skewer, then slowly pour the lemon and orange sugar all over the top, letting it soak into the cake. Leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out and cutting into slices to serve.