Tart it up

White chocolate tart with balsamic roasted strawberries

Simple, creamy, lovely
Preparation + cooking:  1 hour
Serves 8
Ingredients

• 250gm strawberries
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 sheets ready made shortcrust pastry, thawed
• ¾ cup cream
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 220gm white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 2 eggs, whisked
• Icing sugar, to serve

​Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180 fan forced).  Wash and hull strawberries.  Cut in half (or quarters if they are large).  Place strawberries into an ovenproof baking dish.  Add balsamic vinegar and caster sugar and toss well to coat.  Spread into a single layer and roast for about 10 minutes or until just softened.  Set aside to cool.  Cover and refrigerate until required.
2. Lower oven temperature to 180°C (160 fan forced).  Grease a 25cm tart tin.  Join pastry sheets together by overlapping slightly then place in prepared tart tin.  Trim excess pastry then freeze for 10 minutes.  Line pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beads.  Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove paper and beads.  Return to oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until light golden and crisp on the base.  Set aside to cool.
3. Place cream and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir for 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and the cream is hot (being careful not to boil).  Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until smooth.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Add eggs and stir until combined.
4. Arrange roasted strawberries over base of pastry shell, reserving some of the strawberries for serving.  Pour cream mixture over berries in tart tin.  Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is set.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes before removing from tart tin.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. To serve, top the tart with the remaining strawberries and dust with icing sugar.

Recipe credit
​Woolworths Fresh Magazine

Coconut lemon curd tarts

A lovely, tangy little tart
Makes 6 small or 12 mini tarts
Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• ½​​ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 jar lemon curd, or lemon butter
• Whipped cream, to serve

​Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (140 fan forced).  Brush loose based flan pans with oil (or cupcake trays for mini tarts).
2. Beat egg white until stiff peaks form.  Gradually add caster sugar, beating until sugar dissolves and mixture is thick and glossy.  Fold in vanilla, cornflour and coconut.  Divide mixture between pans.  Using wet fingertips, press over base and sides.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden.  Stand for 5 minutes.  While warm, loosen cases from pans but do not remove.  When cooled, remove tart cases and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Spoon lemon curd, or lemon butter, into cases.  Chill and serve with whipped cream.

Serving suggestion
For extra luxury, top with a chocolate dipped strawberry
Recipe credit
Super Food Ideas Magazine, July 2005

Jamie Oliver's lemon and pine nut tart

Tangy and delicious.  Remember to allow adequate cooking and chilling time for this recipe
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients

• 125gm unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1½ cups plain flour, plus extra to dust
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1 tbsp milk
• Icing sugar and whipped cream, or ice cream, to serve

Filling

• 5 egg yolks
• 125gm caster sugar
• 2¼ tbsp cornflour
• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• ½​ cup pine nuts

Method

1. To make the pastry, beat butter and caster sugar until thick and pale.  Add the egg yolks and stir until combined.
2. Sift in plain flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt.  Mix until incorporated and the dough is smooth (add the milk if the dough does not come together).  Shape the dough into a disc, enclose in plastic wrap then chill for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar, cornflour, lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.  Heat the milk in a saucepan until bubbles form at the edge then pour into the lemon mixture.  Whisk to combine.
4. Return mixture to saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened.  Pour mixture into a clean bowl, cover the surface closely with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming.  Set aside to cool.
5. Remove pastry from fridge.  Roll on a lightly floured surface until 3mm thick.  Use pastry to line a greased 20cm loose-bottomed tart pan, pushing into corners.  Trim excess pastry then cover and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C (160 fan forced) and place a baking tray on middle shelf to warm up.
7. Remove pastry from fridge then spoon in the lemon mixture.  Smooth the surface then scatter with the pine nuts.
8. Place the tart on the hot baking try and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is set.
9. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Remove tart from pan then allow to cool completely.  Chill until firm.
10. When ready to serve, dust with icing sugar and serve with cream, or ice cream.

Pineapple condensed milk tart

A very nice light dessert
​Preparation time:  30 minutes plus chilling time
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Base

• 1 large ready made tart case OR
• 200gm plain biscuits
• 100gm unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 1 x 400gm can condensed milk
• ½​ cup lemon juice
• 300ml cream
• 1 x 420gm can crushed pineapple, well drained

Method

1. If using a biscuit base, grease and line a 20cm springform pan.  Process biscuits until fine then add melted butter. Pulse until combined. Press biscuit mixture over base of prepared pan.  Place in fridge to chill.
2. Meanwhile, combine condensed milk and lemon juice in a bowl then stir until smooth.  Mix the drained crushed pineapple into the condensed milk mixture.
3. Whip cream until stiff then fold slowly into pineapple mixture.
4. Pour mixture into prepared case and refrigerate until set.

Arnotts Iced Vovo tart

A gorgeous looking, sweet twist on an Aussie classic
Perfect for Australia Day
​Thanks to Taste.com for the recipe Arnotts Iced Vovo tart

Curry pumpkin tarts with rocket dip

Something a little bit different and very tasty
Makes 12
Preparation + cooking:  45 minutes
Ingredients

• 200gm pumpkin, peeled and chopped
• Canola spray
• Salt and pepper
• 3 sheets ready made shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 150gm Danish or Persian feta
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 300ml cream
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• ½ cup chunky rocket dip, shop bought

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180 fan forced).  Place pumpkin on a baking tray and spray with canola oil.  Season with salt and pepper and bake until tender.
2. Meanwhile, using a 10cm round pastry cutter, cut 12 rounds from pastry sheets.  Grease a 12 hole (⅓ cup) muffin tray and line with pastry rounds.  Blind bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just golden.
3. Combine pumpkin, feta, eggs, cream and curry powder in a food processor.  Blend until smooth then season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pastry cases.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and set.  Stand in tray for 2 minutes then carefully transfer tarts to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
5. Arrange tarts on a serving platter and top with a teaspoon of rocket dip.

Notes

• To freeze, cool tarts completely then arrange in single layers in airtight containers.  Do not top with dip.  Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw in fridge overnight.  To reheat, place thawed tarts on a baking tray in preheated oven 180°C (160 fan forced) for 10 minutes or until heated through.  Don't forget to serve with chunky rocket dip.

Pecorino and spinach tart

Photo coming soon

I love this recipe!  Light and delicious
Serves 4
Preparation + cooking:  1 hour
Ingredients

• 1 packet filo pastry
• 60gm butter, melted
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 large bunches baby spinach, washed
• ¾ cup cream
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup grated pecorino cheese
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup pine nuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160 fan forced).  Grease a 20cm loose based flan ring or pie dish.  Brush 8 sheets of filo pastry with melted butter, stacking into the pie dish as you go, overlapping the edges.
2. Heat oil in frying pan and sauté onion until soft.  Add spinach and stir until just wilted.  Drain any excess water.
3. Place cream in a bowl with beaten eggs.  Stir in grated pecorino, onion and spinach.  Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Fill pastry case with cheese and spinach mixture.  Sprinkle with pine nuts.
5. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and firm to touch.
6. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

• For individual tarts, use 4 x 10cm flan rings or a muffin pan, using 5 layers of filo pastry
• Parmesan or Romano cheese also work beautifully in this recipe

Serving suggestion
Delicious served warm or cold with a fresh garden salad

Raspberry tarts

Dainty and delicious
Makes 12
Preparation + cooking:  1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients

• ¾ cup plain flour
• ½ cup cornflour
• 2 tbsp ground almonds or almond meal
• Pinch baking powder
• 100gm salted butter, chilled and chopped
• Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup raspberry jam
• 125gm fresh raspberries
• Finely grated rind of ½ lemon, extra
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Place plain flour, cornflour, almonds, baking powder, butter and lemon rind in a food processor.  Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Add egg, pulse until mixture just comes together.  Transfer to a floured surface and knead gently until just smooth.  Form into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C (180 fan forced).  Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 2mm thickness.  Using a 7½cm fluted cutter, cut out 12 rounds of pastry and line patty pans.  Prick bases with a fork.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
3. Heat jam in a saucepan until runny.  Coarsely mash raspberries in a bowl, add jam and extra lemon rind, stirring gently to combine.  Spoon filling into pastry cases.  Reduce oven temperature to 180°C (160 fan forced).
4. Roll out remaining pastry to a 2mm thickness and using a 5cm star shape cutter, cut out 12 shapes.  Top each tart with a pastry shape and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden.  Allow the tarts to stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Notes

• Turn these little gems into strawberry tarts by substituting strawberry jam and fresh strawberries
• Be careful not to overfill the pastry cases, the overflow does not look pretty and it may burn
• Store any leftover tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, if they last that long!!  After refrigeration, allow the tarts to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving

Triple chocolate mud pie

Photo coming soon

Pure indulgence with this rich fudge-filled, cookie-based dessert ... a chocoholic's delight!
Serves 12
Preparation + cooking:  1 hour 20 minutes plus standing and cooling time
Ingredients

• 250gm packet Choc Ripple biscuits
• 75gm butter, melted
• 300gm dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 600ml thickened cream
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• Dark chocolate curls or grated chocolate, to serve

Filling

• 1 tsp instant coffee powder
• 100gm dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 100gm butter, chopped
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• ¾ cup plain flour
• 1½ tbsp self raising flour
• ​1 egg

Method

1. Process biscuits until fine crumbs.  Add melted butter and process until just combined.  Press mixture over the base and sides of a 3cm deep, 23cm round, loose-based flan tin.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 150°C (130 fan forced).
   
2. ​Meanwhile, make the filling.  Combine coffee and 1 tbsp hot water in a bowl and stir until smooth.  Place chocolate, butter, caster sugar, coffee mixture and milk in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth and combined.  Set aside for 20 minutes to cool.  Whisk in cocoa and flours.  Whisk in egg until combined.
   
3. Pour filling over biscuit base.  Place tin on a baking tray with sides (see note below).  Bake for 35 minutes or until top is firm to touch.  Remove from oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile, place chocolate and ½ cup cream in a heatproof bowl over simmering water.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Spread 2/3 of the chocolate mixture over top of the pie (reserving the rest to drizzle over the pie when ready to serve).  Set aside for 20 minutes then refrigerate until cold.
5. Meanwhile beat cocoa and remaining cream until soft peaks form.  When ready to serve, top pie with coffee cream and chocolate curls (or grated chocolate) and drizzle with reserved chocolate mixture.

Notes

• Ensure you allow plenty of time to create this chocolate masterpiece
• If you prefer a less 'bitter' chocolate, use half milk chocolate and half dark chocolate
• For presentation, shaved white chocolate looks great, also a crumbled Flake bar works nicely
• If you don't own a fluted pie dish, a springform pan works just as well
• At step 3, you must use a baking tray with sides when baking to collect any oil that will be released by the base
• When ready to serve, re-melt the chocolate mixture and allow to cool slightly before drizzling over the pie