Pimento Tartlets

These pretty Spanish tartlets are filled with strips of roasted sweet peppers and a cream, cheesy custard. They make a perfect snack to serve with drinks.

To make a different tartlet with a Mediterranean flavour, use strips of grilled brinjal mixed with sun-dried tomatoes in place of the peppers.

Ingredients:

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

375ml plain flour

75g chilled butter, diced

30-45ml cold water

60ml double cream

1 egg

15ml grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C and heat the grill.

Place the peppers on a baking sheet and grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides. Cover with a dish towel and leave for 5 minutes. Peel away the skin, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into very thin strips.

Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Add the butter and rub into the mixture resembling fine breadcrumbs. Stir in enough water to make a firm, not sticky, dough.

Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface and line 12 individual moulds or a 12-hole tartlet tin or muffin pan. Prick the bases with a fork and fill the pastry cases with crumpled foil. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and divide the pepper strips among the pastry cases.

Whisk the cream and egg in a bowl. Season and pour over the peppers. Sprinkle each tartlet with parmesan and bake for 15-20 minutes until firm. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan, transferring them to a wire rack.

Serve warm or cold.

Caramel Milk Tart

Ingredients:
250 g Tennis biscuits, finely crushed
200 g butter, melted
1,5 litres milk
200 g sugar
3 eggs
100 g flour
100 g cornflour
10 ml (2 t) vanilla essence
50 g butter
extra 250 ml (1 c) milk
1 box (90 g) caramel instant pudding
250 ml (1 c) cream
1 can (360 g) caramel condensed milk
1 slab (90 g) milk chocolate

Method:

Mix the biscuits with the melted butter and press onto the bottom of a deep 30 cm square dish. Chill until needed.
In a large microwave-proof bowl heat 1 litre (4 c) of the milk with the sugar for 10 min.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs, remaining 500 ml (2 c) milk, flour, cornflour and vanilla essence until smooth.
Mix the flour mixture with the hot milk and microwave for 12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until the mixture is thick. Beat in the butter and leave to cool.
Whisk the extra milk and instant pudding together. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the instant pudding.
When the custard is cooled, start the layering. Pour the custard over the chilled biscuit layer, smooth the caramel condensed milk over the custard, then add the instant pudding mixture. Grate the chocolate over and refrigerate overnight.

Langoustine and Salmon Tart

This is a more sophisticated version of salmon en croute

with a rich langoustine sauce to serve.

Ingredients:
For the langoustine tart:
500g all-butter puff pastry
600g salmon, skin and pin bones, about 2.5cm/1in thick
1 egg white
50ml double cream
20 langoustines, peeled, de-veined, shells reserved for the sauce
125g baby spinach leaves
2 egg yolks, beaten

For the sauce:
50g butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
½ head fennel, roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2ml cayenne pepper
10ml tomato purée
75ml white wine
500ml fish stock
75ml double cream
½ lemon, juice only

Method:

For the tart, preheat the oven to 200C.

Roll the pastry out on a floured work surface to a 3mm thickness. Cut out a 30cm x 10cm rectangle and a 37.5cm x 15cm rectangle.

Trim the salmon into a 27.5cm x 7.5cm rectangle

Roughly chop the salmon trimmings (about 175g). Blend the salmon trimmings and egg whites to a purée in a food processor. Add the cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper and blend together until smooth.

Place the smaller piece of pastry onto a baking tray and spread over half of the salmon purée. Cover with the langoustines and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Arrange the spinach leaves on top, then the piece of salmon. Cover with the larger piece of the pastry and crimp the edges. Trim the edges and brush with the beaten egg yolks. Score the pastry with a table knife.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden-brown. Set aside to rest for five minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat a frying pan until hot and add the butter, onion, carrots, fennel and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened but not coloured.

Add the langoustine shells, cayenne and tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the white wine and continue to cook until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the fish stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Blend the sauce in a blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve into a saucepan. Return the sauce to a simmer, add the cream and cook for a further minute. Season, to taste, with salt, lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, carve the tart into slices and spoon over the sauce.

Blueberry Bakewell Tarts

These delightful little tarts are a treat with a cup of tea or coffee, or even for a dessert after a delicious meal.

Ingredients:
For the blueberry jam:
125g fresh or frozen blueberries
15ml caster sugar
A squeeze of lemon juice

For the pastry:
200g plain flour
100g butter, chilled and cubed
40g icing sugar, sifted
1 large egg, beaten

For the frangipane:
55g butter, softened
55g caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten
40g ground almonds
15g plain flour

To decorate:
50g icing sugar, sifted
Fresh blueberries

Method:
Preheat the oven to 170C.

In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the jam and heat gently until the berries start to burst. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture is very thick and has lost its watery appearance. Press through a sieve to remove the skins. Allow to cool completely.

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Using a palette knife cut in the egg, press the dough all together to form a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry between a sheet of greaseproof paper and the cling film to 3mm thickness. Use a 5cm round cutter to cut out 12 discs. Use the rounds to line the base of a greased 12-hole, non-stick muffin tray. Cut 12 strips 1cm wide and 20cm long from the remaining pastry. Use these to line the sides of the muffin tray, carefully pressing the pastry together at the seams to seal. Chill for 15 minutes.

Place the ingredients for the frangipane in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and thoroughly combined. Prick the bases of the pastry cases with a fork. Divide the cooled jam among them, placing half a teaspoon in each. Top with the frangipane.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the frangipane is risen and golden. Cool in the tray for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Mix in the icing sugar with a little water to form a runny paste and use to decorate the tarts. Top with blueberries.

Asparagus and Spring Onion Tart

Here's a delectable tart to bake in a celebration of spring. If it is at another time of the year when you can't get fresh asparagus it can be made with canned asparagus spears or salad cut asparagus.

Ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry
1 egg white, lightly beaten to glaze
10 spring onions, trimmed
20g butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
350g fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and lower ends peeled
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
250ml double cream
100g medium cheddar, grated

Method:
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a large circle, 2-3mm thick. Line a tart tin (23-24cm round, 2-3cm deep, removable base), leaving a little excess overhanging the rim. Chill in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line the tart case with baking paper and baking beans and blind bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Leave to cool slightly, then trim off the excess pastry around the rim. Brush the inside of the pastry case to glaze. Leave to cool while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven setting to 180C.

Slice the spring onions on the diagonal. Melt the butter in a pan and add the spring onions with a little seasoning. Fry over a medium heat until soft but not browned. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Add the asparagus spears to a pan of boiling salted water and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain under cold running water and drain well. Halve the asparagus spears lenghtways.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and cream together in a bowl. Add three quarters of the cheese and season well with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle half the remaining cheese over the pastry base, then sprinkle over a layer of spring onions. Arrange the asparagus spears on top and carefully pour in the cream mixture over the top until it reaches just below the rim of the pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set and golden. Leave to cool in the tin before unmoulding.
Serve war or at room temperature.

Melktert

Melktert is a South African speciality dessert originating from the Dutch settlers. Although there are many different variations of this delicious tart, which in English would be Milk Tart or Custard Pie, this is the recipe that has come down to me through my family.

As the Afrikaans normally host large family gatherings where this dessert is served, my recipe is for two tarts which are best made the day before they are to be served.

Ingredients:
For the Pastry:
125ml caster sugar
125g butter
500ml flour
1 egg
2ml salt
10ml baking powder


For the Filling:
1 litre milk
50ml butter
30ml flour
10ml ground almonds
3 eggs
200ml sugar
40ml cornflour
5ml almond essence
2ml grated nutmeg
ground cinnamon for dusting


Method:

For the Pastry:

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cream the butter and the sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg, flour, salt and baking powder and mix to form a dough. Press the dough into two pie plates and bake blind for 10-15 minutes until light brown. allow to cool thoroughly before adding the filling.


For the Filling:

Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour. Blend to a paste then, over a low heat, add half the milk, a little at a time, to make a white sauce. Blend the ground almonds into the sauce.

Slake the cornflour with a little of the remaining milk.

Add the eggs, sugar, slaked cornflour, almond essence and nutmeg to the rest of the milk and whisk thoroughly.

With the pan off the heat, add the milk and egg mixture to the white sauce, whisking well to blend. Transfer the custard mixture to the top of a double boiler and warm, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.

Pour the custard into the prepared pie shells and sprinkle with cinnamon. Allow to cool and then put in the fridge to set completely. Yes, you have read this right - there is no nead to bake this tart once you add the filling - it's ready to serve once it is set.

Crab and Saffron Tarts

Crab, which comes into season in April and lasts through the summer until the end of October, is one of the most versatile of seafoods. It can be used in salads, sandwiches, fish pies, pasta dishes, crab cakes and tarts. It requires very little enhancement to create delicious dishes with these delicious crustaceans, which have been caught and eaten for as long as can be remembered. Crab meat is a good source of many minerals, including selenium has anti-cancer potential and helps resist viral and bacterial infections. It also has useful amounts of B vitamins, iron and zinc.

This is a quick and easy tart that's great for a lunch or a starter when entertaining.

Ingredients:

1 x 375g pack ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

a pinch of saffron

2 egg, beaten

125g mascarpone

small handful of parsley, chopped, plus a few leaves to garnish

300-350g crab meat, or 2 x 170g tins white crab meat, drained

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

cherry tomatoes, halved to garnish

Method:

Line 6 x 10cm tart cases with shortcrust pastry. Prick the bases lightly with a fork and trim the edges. Place the lined cases in the fridge and chill for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Cover the tart cases with baking paper and fill the centres with baking beans. Blind bake for ten minutes, then remove the paper and beans. Cook for a further 10 minutes until golden.

Soak the saffron in 15ml just boiled water and set aside for 5 minutes.

Mix together the eggs, mascarpone, soaked saffron and saffron water. Add the chopped parsley to this mixture. Fold in the crab meat and season well.

Divide the mixture between the pastry cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature, topped with halved cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of parsley leaves.

Manchester Tart

The Manchester tart is a traditional English baked tart, which consists of a shortcrust pastry shell, spread with raspberry jam, covered with a custard filling and topped with flakes of coconut. The original Manchester Tart is a simple modern version of an earlier recipe, the Manchester Pudding, which was first recorded by the Victorian cookery writer, Mrs Beeton.

Ingredients:

butter, for greasing
500g ready-made shortcrust pastry
Plain flour, for dusting
200g raspberry jam
15ml desiccated coconut
300g fresh raspberries
500ml full-fat milk
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out with a knife
5 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
30ml cornflour
10ml icing sugar, for dusting
400ml double cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
50ml desiccated coconut, toasted in a dry frying pan until golden-brown, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a 10in tart pan with butter.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a ¼in thickness. Line the prepared tart pan with the pastry. Prick the pastry several times with a fork, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When the pastry case has rested, place a sheet of baking parchment into it and half-fill with baking beans. Transfer the pastry case to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

Remove the baking parchment and baking beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 4-5 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

Spread the raspberry jam onto the pastry base in an even layer. Sprinkle over the three tablespoons of non-toasted desiccated coconut and half of the fresh raspberries. Set the pastry base aside.

Bring the milk, vanilla pod and vanilla seeds to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod (put it in a jar of sugar to give ‘vanilla sugar’).

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined.

Pour the hot milk and vanilla mixture over the egg and sugar mixture, whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Return the mixture to the pan over a medium heat. Whisk in the cornflour, a tablespoon at a time, until well combined. Heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Transfer the custard mixture to a clean bowl and dust with the icing sugar (this prevents a skin from forming on the surface of the custard). Set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes when cool enough to go in the fridge.

Whisk the whipped double cream into the chilled custard mixture until well combined.

Spoon the custard and cream mixture into the pastry case in an even layer. Sprinkle over the remaining fresh raspberries.

To serve, sprinkle over the three tablespoons of toasted desiccated coconut and serve immediately.

Leek and Haddock Tart

Leek and haddock go so well together, especially when gussied up as a tart. With a bit of spice and a cream and cheese custard, this makes an interesting change to the common fish pie.

Ingredients:

350 g short crust pastry

225g baby leeks, thinly sliced

25 g butter

2 tsp curry powder

1 bay leaf

1 tsp peppercorns

175 g undyed smoked haddock

175 g cod

small bunch of chives, snipped

3 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped

For the Custard:

3 eggs

284 ml carton double cream

black pepper

3 tbsp finely grated parmesan

Method:

Set the oven to 180°C.

Roll out the pastry to line a 25 cm tart tin, cover the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Blanch the leeks for 5 minutes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, drain well.

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add leeks, fry over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder and stir together for a further minute.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil add the bay leaf, peppercorns, haddock and cod, and then simmer uncovered for 4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the fish and leave to cool. Break the fish into chunky flakes, discarding any skin and bones.

Lower the oven temperature to 170°C.

Place the leeks in the tart shell, sprinkle over the chives and the flaked haddock and cod. Scatter the chopped boiled eggs evenly over the top.

Make the custard by whizzing the eggs and the cream together in a blender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle the custard into the tart case and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until just set and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, and then serve immediately.

Mackerel and Mustard Tart

This is an enjoyable fish dish to serve for a weekday supper. It’s fairly quick to make and doesn’t take much effort. Get the children or hubby to help and it's made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

For the pastry

125 g butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

250 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

a pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

50ml cold water

For the filling

3 smoked mackerel fillet

3 whole eggs

6 egg yolks

250 ml double cream

1-2 tsp coarse wholegrain mustard

1 bunch watercress, chopped

1 handful grated extra mature cheddar, or other sharp-tasting cheese

To serve

dressed salad leaves, to serve

Method:

For the pastry: put the butter, flour and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 50ml cold water, add to the mixer and continue processing until a dough is formed. Wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour, removing it from the refrigerator 15 minutes before you want to roll it.

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Butter a 25cm spring-form tart tin and sprinkle with a little flour. Lightly dust the dough with flour and roll out to a thickness of 3mm. Carefully lift the dough and lay it over the tart tin, then gently press down into the base. Trim the edges, leaving a rim of pastry above the rim of the tin to allow for shrinkage. Prick the base with a fork, then chill for 30 minutes. Line the pastry with a sheet of greaseproof paper, then fill with dried peas or beans and bake for 12 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

For the filling: skin the mackerel fillets, cut them in half lengthways and flake the flesh, removing any bones. Beat together the whole eggs, egg yolks, cream, mustard and some salt and pepper. Scatter the mackerel and watercress over the base of the part-cooked tart shell. Place the pastry case in the oven. Carefully pour in the egg mixture, stopping when the liquid reaches the rim of the case – be careful not to let it overflow. Top with grated cheese then bake for 30-40 minutes, until the filling has set. Remove the tart from the oven. Trim off any excess pastry around the rim then cut into wedges and serve with dressed salad leaves.

Caramelised Onion and Feta Tart

Ingredients:

1 portion of Easy Flaky Pastry

500ml Caramelised Onions

150g Feta cheese

15ml fresh thyme leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

2 spring onion tops, finely sliced

.

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Method:

Preheat the oven to 220C

Roll out the pastry between two pieces of baking paper to a circle that is narrower than 1cm thick. Remove the paper and place on a baking tray.

Spread the filling over the pastry, leaving an inch or more at the edge, starting with the caramelised onions. Top that with the feta cheese, crumbled and a sprinkling of thyme leaves. Turn up the sides of the pastry all the way around to make a tart. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes and sprinkle with chopped spring onion greens before serving.

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Leek and Stilton Tart

The combination of leek and Stilton is a taste of Welsh traditional cooking.

Usually leek is used together with potato to make a soup

--- simple country fare.

Combining leek and Stilton for individual little tarts is a touch more up-market.

Ingredients for individual servings:

1 sheet ready-made filo pastry

25g butter, melted

15ml olive oil

¼ leek, finely sliced

2 egg yolks

30ml double cream

15ml chopped fresh chives, plus extra to serve

salt and freshly ground black pepper

30g Stilton, crumbled

.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Brush the filo pastry with butter, fold in half and press into a chefs' ring on a baking sheet. Brush with more butter, then transfer to the oven and bake for eight minutes, or until golden-brown.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small pan, add the leek and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Leave to cool slightly.

Place the eggs, cream and chives into a bowl, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Add the leeks to the bowl and stir to combine.

Remove the filo pastry case from the oven, pour in the egg mixture and top with the Stilton. Return to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the filling has set.

To serve, place the tart onto a plate, remove the chef's ring and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Red Onion and Goat's Cheese Tart

Individual tarts make a magnificent lunch or starter for a special meal.

These are scrumptious and easy to make.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
250g flour
125g cold butter
15ml finely chopped rosemary
pinch of salt
Enough cold water to mix to a dough.

For the topping:
30ml olive oil
2 small red onions, roughly chopped
100-125ml red wine
30g butter
60ml orange marmalade
Goat's cheese, sliced.
Freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:
To Make the pastry:
Rub together the flour and cold butter until the mixture is like fine bread crumbs. This may take about 10 minutes - be patient.
Add the herbs, salt and enough cold water to mix ti a stiff dough.
Work it to a flattened ball and wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for an hour or two.
Roll out to about 1/8th inch think and cut into rounds using a saucer.
Place on a baking tray and bake blind at 180C for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To Complete the Tart:
Fry the red onion in olive oil until the onion is translucent.
Add the red wine, butter and marmalade and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
On the cooled pastry circles, spoon the onion jam, top with a slice of goat's cheese and season with a little freshly ground black pepper. The goat's cheese may be salty, so I don't add salt to the seasoning. Put under the grill until the cheese is melted.