Strawberry tart

(For 4 - 6 portions)

• 250gr flour
• 125gr caster sugar
• 125gr butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 small pinch of salt

Crème pâtissier for the filling:

• 1½ punnet of Melissa Cress
• 250ml milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 50gr caster sugar
• 30gr cornflour

Topping:

• 1 punnet Zallotti Blossom
• ½ punnet Melissa Cress
• 80gr strawberry jelly
• 250gr strawberries

• In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt. 
• Cut the butter in small cubes and mix in the flour with your hand, until well-integrated. 
• Add the egg and the vanilla essence and make a dough; do not overwork. 
• Leave to rest in a cool place for at least one hour and lay to a 3mm thickness with a rolling pin and place into a tart ring. 
• Cook the pastry case in a hot oven with some dry beans at the bottom, to stop it rising. 
• You should have enough to make 2 cases with this quantity, I would advise you to cook both cases and keep one in the freezer for next time, it’s a very handy tip. 

Crème pâtissier for the filling:

• Dilute the cornflour in a glass with 50ml of milk and bring to simmer the other 200ml of milk.  
• Whisk together the egg yolk and sugar and add it to the simmering milk. 
• Continue slowly whisking for 2 to 3 minutes and add the rest of the milk with the diluted cornflour in the pan. 
• Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, until the crème thickens. 
• Pour the “crème patissier “into a flat tray and let cool down for 30 minutes. 
• Chop the Melissa Cress and fold it into the “crème patissiere" then fill the pastry case to level. 

Topping:

• Cut the strawberries and arrange them on top of the tart. 
• Heat up the strawberry jelly slightly and brush the strawberries with it to create a nice glaze and shine. 
• Remove the flowers from their stems of the Zallotti Blossom and scatter them on top. 
• Add a few leaves of freshly cut Melissa Cress to finish and serve. 

Recipe: Franck Pontais