Fruit tarts and dessert wine

By Yasmin Lee

This classic isn't as hard to make at home as you might think. Just take your time!

For the Pâte à Sucre (Sweet Shortcrust Pastry)

• 250g Plain Flour , plus extra for dusting

• 50g Icing Sugar.

• 125g Salted Butter (cold and cut into cubes)

• Zest of 1 orange, (optional)

• 1 large Free-Range Egg

Method:

Using your hands, work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar by rubbing your thumbs against your fingers until you end up with a fine, crumbly mixture. This is called ‘rubbing in’.Flavour the mixture with orange zest, lemon zest, vanilla, cardamon or a flavour of your choosing.Add the egg to the mixture and gently work it together till you have a ball of dough. If the mixture is too dry add a splash of milk.Try to not over handle the pastry as this will develop the gluten making it elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short. Flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Pat it into a flat round, flour it lightly, wrap it in clingfilm and put it into the fridge to rest until it is firm all the way through, which will take at least half an hour. To bake use a preheated oven at 180°, 170° (fan), gas mark 4.

Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)

• 190g whole milk

• 2 egg yolks

• 45g sugar

• 2 tsp. cornflour

• 2 tsp. plain flour

• Spent vanilla pod or ⅓ tsp. Vanilla extract

Method:

Gently warm the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until almost boiling. Remove the vanilla pod if using.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar, then whisk in the flour and cornflour. Whisk in half the milk a splash at a time, whisking continuously, then sieve the egg mixture back into the pan.Whisking constantly, bring to the boil over a low heat and cook for several minutes, stirring continuously, until you can no longer taste the cornflour. Do not cook at too high a heat as the mixture will catch and burn. Pour the crème pâtissière into a bowl. Cover the surface with a light dusting of caster sugar to prevent a skin from forming and leave to cool.Once the tart shells and the creme pat have cooled you can assemble your tarts and decorate as you wish.