Ingredients

• 350g/12oz plain flour
• pinch salt
• 125g/4½oz unsalted butter
• flattened out in between two sheets of greaseproof paper to 1cm/½in thick
• chilled in the fridge
• 125g/4½oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• whole and 1 egg
• yolk only
• 1 egg
• yolk only
• beaten for egg-wash
• 500ml/18fl oz full fat milk
• 2 vanilla pods
• seeds removed and pods retained
• 6 free-range eggs
• yolks only
• 120g/4½oz caster sugar
• 50g/2oz plain flour
• 4 tbsp kirsch
• 400g/14oz strawberries
• 100g/3½oz redcurrants
• 100g/3½oz whitecurrants
• 100g/3½oz blackberries
• 4 tbsp clear apricot jam
• 75g/2¾oz mint tips
• 50g/2oz icing sugar
• 100g/3½oz green shelled pistachios
• roughly chopped

Directions

• For the sweet pastry
• preheat the oven to 190C/350F/Gas 5.
• Lightly grease and flour 12 x 8cm/3¼in loose bottomed tins.
• Stir the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flattened butter straight from the fridge into the flour and rub in the mixture.
• Add the sugar
• mix together the eggs and egg yolk
• and to the mixture. Gently mix with a dough scraper
• or spatula
• until the dough comes together in a ball.
• Lightly flour a work surface
• tip the pastry ball out onto it
• and knead until you have a smooth soft dough. Shape the pastry into a square
• to make it easier to roll out.
• Place the dough the fridge to chill for an hour minimum
• preferably overnight.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge and lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the pastry 2-3mm thick and line the 12 tins
• leaving an overhang of pastry. Place some greaseproof paper over the top and fill with baking beans. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Once chilled
• place the pastry tart cases on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and beans
• brush with beaten egg yolk
• and place back in the oven for 8 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Then trim the edges and lift out onto a cooling rack.
• For the crème patissière
• place the milk
• vanilla seeds and pods into a large saucepan and warm though.
• Place the eggs
• sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl and whisk until the colour changes and becomes pale. Gradually add the warm milk and vanilla to the egg mixture
• whisk together
• then return the mixture to the pan. Cook on a low heat until it the mixture thickens
• then pour into a clean bowl. Place a circle of greaseproof paper on the mixture
• to stop a skin forming.
• If you would like to flavour the crème with kirsch
• add it to the crème once it is cold.
• To make up the fruit tarts
• spoon the crème patissière in a piping bag
• and pipe into the pastry cases. Top the tarts with the strawberries
• redcurrants or whitecurrants and blackberries.
• Put the apricot jam and 1-2 tablespoons of water in a small sauce pan and warm it through
• so it loosens up and becomes more liquid. Lightly brush the fruit to glaze.
• To serve
• place the tarts on a cake stand and dust with icing sugar
• and garnish with mint tips or pistachios.