Sweet Tart Pastry
- Pre-heat the oven.
- Rub some butter around the inside of a 23cm/9” tart or flan dish.
- Put the flour and butter into a large bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to work them together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the sugar.
- Add the egg yolks and stir well.
- Using your hands gather the mix together to form a smooth ball of pastry dough.
Blind Baking
- Dust the work surface with flour, put the dough in the middle and sprinkle it with flour.
- Roll out the pastry into a circle 5cm/2” larger than your dish and lift it into the dish, OR simply press it into the baking dish using your fingers.
- Cut away any pastry that hangs over the edge of the dish.
- Prick the pastry all over with a fork.
- Lay a large piece of parchment over the raw pastry, making sure all the edges are covered.
- Scatter ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the parchment, spreading them all over the surface.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment and contents off the pastry.
- Return the pastry to the oven and cook for a further 4-5 minutes without browning too much.
- Take the dish out of the oven and gently remove the warm pastry case out of the dish and leave to cool.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart
- Slice the strawberries in half.
- Wash, dry and slice the rhubarb into pieces the same length as the strawberries.
- Put the rhubarb and strawberries into a mixing bowl, sieve the tapioca on top, stir gently to combine and leave to stand for at least 10 minutes.
- Transfer the rhubarb and strawberries to the pastry case, arrange them attractively and sprinkle the sugar over the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.
23cm/9” tart or flan dish, baking parchment, pastry blender, 2 cups ceramic baking beans for blind baking and mixing bowl
190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5
Blind Baking 10-12 minutes + 4-5 minutes and Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart 30-35 minutes