Ingredients

• 300g/11oz caster sugar
• 300ml/11fl oz water
• 125g/4½oz basil leaves and stalks
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 300ml/11fl oz whole milk
• 4 large stems fresh basil
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 20g/¾oz cornflour
• 500g/1lb 2oz ready made puff pastry
• rolled to 3mm/1/8in-thick
• 1 free-range egg yolk
• lightly beaten
• 500g/1lb 2oz blackberries
• 3 tbsp flaked almonds
• 4 sprigs fresh basil
• to serve

Directions

• For the sorbet
• place the sugar
• water and basil into a saucepan over a high heat. Bring to a boil and boil until the sugar has dissolved.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly before pouring the basil syrup into a food blender. Blend to a smooth consistency then pass through a sieve into a clean bowl using the back of a spoon to push the mixture through.
• Pour through a second sieve
• lined with a piece of clean muslin or a clean kitchen cloth
• into a clean bowl. Leave to cool.
• Once the mixture has cooled completely
• transfer to an ice cream machine and churn until just frozen according to the manufacturer's instuctions. Transfer to a bowl and freeze until solid.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/428F/Gas 7.
• For the basil cream
• place the milk and basil into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Place the egg yolks
• sugar and cornflour into a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat
• stirring continuously
• for 1-2 minutes
• or until thick enough to hold its shape. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile
• for the tart
• cut the pastry into four 13cm/5in squares and place onto a baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg yolk. Use a sharp knife to score a line 1cm/0.5in in from the edge of the pastry
• all the way round the squares
• taking care not to cut all the way through (this will rise to create a crust around the edge when cooked).
• Divide the cooled basil cream evenly among each of the four pastry squares
• spreading it gently up to the scored edges.
• Arrange the blackberries in rows over the top of the cream
• scatter over the flaked almonds and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes
• or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.
• To serve
• place each tart on a serving plate and top each one with a ball of sorbet. Garnish with a sprig of basil.