Mixed Fruit Tartlets

This weekend we went again to the Pick Your Own Farm, so I ended up again with lost of fruit. What better to use it for than some fruit tarts. I used Michel Roux's recipe for Pate Sucree and my quick and delicious cream that is ready in 5minutes without any cooking. I even used my mini fluted cases that I ordered from Amazon ages ago:)

Mixed Fruit Tartlets

For the Pâte sucrée (sweet shortcrust pastry)

125g plain flour

50g butter, cubed and slightly softened

50g icing sugar, sifted

pinch of salt

1egg, at room temperature

For the filling

200ml double cream

125g mascarpone

3 tbsp icing sugar

1vanilla pod

5-6 tbsp Marsala wine

For the top

Fruit of your choice/I used strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and redcurrant

some icing sugar to dust

For the pastry:Put the flour in a mound on a work surface and make a well. Put in the butter, icing sugar and salt, and mix these ingredients together with you fingertips. Gradually draw the flour into the centre and mix with your fingertips until the dough becomes slightly grainy.

Again make a well and add the egg. Work it into the flour mixture, using your fingertips, until the dough begins to hold together.

When the dough is well amalgamated, knead it a few times with the palm of your hand until smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours before using.

When the dough is rested and ready to use, unwrap and roll out on a lightly floured clean surface to a 2-3mm thickness to line the lightly greased tartlet cases. Chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Prick the base of the pastry case. Bake the case blind for 20 minutes.

 Lower the oven setting to 180C, remove the beans and paper and bake the pastry cases for another 5 minutes. Place on the wire rack, and leave the tart case until cold.

 For the filling whip the double cream until soft peaks, then add the vanilla seeds, mascarpone, icing sugar and the marsala wine to taste (you can still add some more if you need a kick) and give a final whip.

Fill the cases with the cream and arrange the fruit on top. If you don't serve it immediately keep it in the fridge.

 I also used my mini tartlet cases and they turned out quite impressive. I greased the cases with butter thoroughly before baking and it paid off, as the pastry simply "fell out" after baking.

Maybe you can see the shape better from this view: