The Quickest Berry Tart Recipes

THE QUICKEST BERRY TART

Steps:

• You can make the pastry by hand, or in a food processor. If making it by hand, sieve the flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl from a height.
• Chop the butter into small cubes, then gently work the it into the flour and sugar with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Beat the egg and add to the mix with the milk and gently work it together using your hands until you have a ball. Don't work the pastry too much or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short.
• Sprinkle some flour over the dough and a clean work surface, and pat the ball into a thick flat round. Sprinkle over a little more flour, then wrap the pastry in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Lightly oil the inside of a 25cm non-stick loose-bottomed tart tin.
• Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour, then carefully roll out the pastry, turning it every so often, until you've got a circle about 0.5cm thick.
• Roll the pastry over the rolling pin, then unroll it into the tin, making sure you push it into all the sides.
• Trim off any extra pastry, and use it to patch any holes, then prick the base of the case all over with a fork, cover with clingfilm, and pop it into the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• Line the pastry case with a large piece of greaseproof paper, pushing it right into the sides.
• Fill the pastry case right up to the top with uncooked rice, and bake blind for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Take the case out, carefully remove the rice (save it for baking blind another time) and greaseproof paper, and return the case to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes, until it's firm and almost biscuit-like. Leave to cool completely.
• Finely grate most of the orange zest into a bowl and whisk with 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar and the cream until you get a silky mixture that forms soft peaks.
• Put half the berries into another bowl and use a fork to mash them up with the remaining tablespoon of vanilla sugar. Break up the meringue nests into rough pieces.
• Gently fold the mushed-up berries, and the meringue pieces, into the cream.
• Tip the cream mixture into the cooled tart case and gently shake it to help spread it out to the edges. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly, then sprinkle the remaining berries all over the top.
• Finely grate over the remaining orange zest and serve right away, with a dusting of icing sugar.

RUSTIC THREE-BERRY TART

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or if mixing by hand, in a medium bowl). Add the butter and mix, on low, until the mixture looks sandy and there are no pieces of butter larger than a pea, about 2 minutes. The flour should hold together when you clump it with your fingers. Scrape down the sides and bottom with a spatula, if needed. (If mixing by hand, mix with a pastry cutter or two forks until the butter is mixed into the flour as above).
• In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and milk. With the mixer on low, add them to the flour mixture and mix until the dough just comes together, about 15 seconds; the dough will be somewhat soft. (If mixing by hand, add the yolk mixture to the flour and mix gently with a fork until the liquid is well distributed. The dough will still look crumbly and dry. Dump the dough onto a clean counter and work it with the heel of your hand, pushing and smearing it away from you and gathering it up with a bench scraper and repeating until the dough comes together and is pliable).
• Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk, wrap it in the plastic, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling it out.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator; if the dough is very firm, let it sit at room temperature until it's pliable enough to roll, 10 to 15 minutes. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 13- to 14-inch round. It's all right if the edges are a little ragged. Transfer the dough round to the baking sheet and put it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
• In a large bowl, toss the raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries with the sugar. Taste the fruit; if it's more tart than you like, add up to 2 Tbs. more sugar. Toss in the lemon zest, flour and salt until evenly mixed.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to keep it from cracking when you assemble the tart. Heap the fruit in the center of the dough round, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edges of the dough over the edges of the fruit to create a rim. Work your way all around, pleating the dough as you go.
• Brush the dough evenly with the egg and sprinkle the sanding sugar directly on the dough and fruit.
• Bake until the dough is completely golden brown, 40 to 55 minutes. (Some of the juices will escape from the tart.) Transfer the baking sheet to a rack to cool.
• When cool enough to handle, use a spatula to transfer the tart to a serving plate or cutting board. Slice it and serve it warm or at room temperature.

QUICK CLASSIC BERRY TART

Steps:

• Beat pastry cream with a whisk until it is smooth. Fill crust with enough cream to come almost to edge of rim, and smooth top. Arrange berries in concentric circles over top of tart. If you are using strawberries, cut them in half from top to bottom.
• Bring jelly and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a microwave oven or over heat. Working with a pastry feather or brush, dab each berry with a spot of jelly. If you would like, you can glaze entire surface of tart, including pastry cream that peeks through berries, although you may need more glaze.

MIXED BERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until a soft dough forms. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared pan; prick with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool; do not turn oven off.
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar; mix until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs; blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice; mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into cooled tart shell.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling has set, about 25 minutes. Chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour. Top with berries and garnish with mint.

QUICK AND EASY FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• For the tarts: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry. Cut the puff pastry sheets in half, making 4 rectangles. Place 2 puff pastry rectangles on each sheet pan. Set aside.
• Add the blueberries and strawberries to separate bowls. Divide the granulated sugar and lemon juice between the bowls. Season each with a pinch of salt and stir until well combined.
• Divide the blueberries between 2 of the puff pastry rectangles, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. Do the same with the strawberries and the remaining puff pastry rectangles. Pinch the corners of each rectangle, creating a slight lip. Brush the edges with the cream.
• Bake in the lower half of the oven until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.
• For the whipped cream: While the tarts bake, add the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or whisk, whip until soft and billowy. Transfer to a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve.
• Transfer the tarts to a cutting board. Let the tarts cool slightly before slicing approximately 6 times across each tart to create thin slices. Transfer to a serving platter. Scatter the mint leaves over the tart pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve alongside the whipped cream.