Raspberry And Blueberry Tart Hearts

Preparation

• 1
  To make the pastry, sift the flour and the icing sugar together into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the flour and sugar until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• 2
  Beat the egg yolk and then work it into the pastry. Add 1-2 tablespoons of ice cold water and bring it together into a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
• 3
  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees or 160 degrees fan oven.
• 4
  Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line 4 individual loose bottomed heart shaped tart tins. Drop the pastry into the bottom of the tin, then gently press to the sides and roll over the top with the rolling pin to cut.*
• 5
  Line each tin with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, and then bake blind for 15-20 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans and leave to cool.
• 6
  To make the creme patissiere, separate 4 eggs, discard the whites and beat the yolks in a bowl. Add the sugar and whisk together until thick and well combined. Sift in the flour and whisk thoroughly again.
• 7
  Slit the vanilla pod open and place in the milk in a pan. Heat until simmering. Remove the vanilla pod and slowly pour over the egg mixture, stirring as you do so. Tip it back into the pan and heat gently, stirring constantly, to boil and thicken.
• 8
  Simmer the thickened custard gently for 2 minutes, still stirring, remove from the heat and allow to cool, and then chill.
• 9
  Pipe the cooled creme patissiere to fill the pastry cases using a thick nozzle in the piping bag. Arrange the raspberries and blue berries on the top.**
• 10
  Warm a tablespoon of apricot jam, with a splash of water stirred in, and then allow to cool. Brush over the tops of the fruit to glaze the tarts and then chill. Serve dusted with icing sugar.