Gooseberry Sweet Pastry Tart

Sweet Pastry

1. Pre-heat the oven.
2. Rub a little butter around a 20cm/8” round baking dish.
3. Put the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl, add the butter and use a pastry blender or fork to work them together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add the egg yolks and stir well.
5. Using your hands gather together a smooth ball of pastry dough.
6. Cover the dough and leave it to stand for 15 minutes.
7. Dust the worktop with flour, put the dough in the middle and sprinkle it with flour.
8. Roll out the pastry into a circle 5cm/2” larger than your dish and lift it into the dish, OR simply press the pastry into the baking dish using your fingers.
9. Cut away any pastry that hangs over the edge of your dish.
10. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.

Blind Baking

1. Lay a large piece of parchment over the raw pastry, making sure all the edges are covered.
2. Scatter ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the parchment, spreading them all over the surface.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes then remove from the oven, carefully lift the parchment and contents off the pastry and return it to the oven and cook for a further 4-5 minutes without browning too much.

Filling

1. Break the egg into a mixing bowl, add the cream, syrup and vanilla extract and beat together well.
2. Stir in the gooseberries then pour the mixture into the pastry lined dish.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes.