Ingredients
Method
1. In a food processor, blitz the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until creamy
2. Add in flour and blitz until a ball forms. Remove pastry and knead for 5 minutes on a floured surface. This pastry loves to be worked! Shape into a disc, wrap in glad wrap and chill until firm (at least 30 minutes).
3. Spray a 26cm tart tin with a light coating of oil. On a floured surface, roll the pastry into a thin disc (about 5mm). Gently transfer it into the tart tin, then press the pastry into the sides. This pastry is forgiving, so patch up any cracks with extra pastry scraps. Refrigerate for a further 20–30 minutes to firm up.
4. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Blind bake the pastry case for 15–20 minutes, then remove the baking beans and cook for a further 5–10 minutes or until an even golden colour.
Summer Tart Fillings
Switch up your tart flavours with seasonal fruit as the summer progresses. From berries and cherries in the early summer, to banana and stone fruit later in the season.
Berry and Chocolate: Add two tablespoons of cocoa to the pastry dough to make chocolate pastry. Once baked, fill the tart with chocolate mousse. Top with a mix of summer berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries.
Plum and Custard: Mix house-made custard with vanilla paste and mascarpone cream to create a thick mix, then pour into the tart shell. Thinly slice fresh plums, then layer in a circle until the whole top is covered.
Banoffee: Smother the tart base with dulce de leche. Layer with fresh banana, then top with Chantilly cream and chocolate shavings.