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Fruit Tartlets

Serves 6-8

Tartlets

225g/8oz plain flour sieved

110g/4oz butter chopped

1 egg yolk

1 dsp chilled water

Filling

125/4floz whipped cream or yoghurt

50g/2oz mascarone

25g/1oz ground almonds

25g/1oz flaked almonds

110g/4oz fresh fruit

25g/1oz icing sugar

Method for tartlets

Place all ingredients in a blender and blitz until the mixture begins to bind. Alternatively add the butter to the flour and work with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then add the sugar, egg yolk and sufficient water to bring the mixture together. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to a thickness of 1cm/half an inch. Using a three inch cutter cut out six to eight rounds of pastry.

Line individual moulds (approx 7.5cm/ three inches in diameter) with the pastry. Now prick the pastry with a fork and bake blind (ie line each tartlet with greaseproof paper and scatter baking beans or dried beans over the base, removing the paper and beans after 8-10 minutes) in the oven at 190C/gas mark 5 for 10-15 minutes until cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before taking the pastry case out of the mould.

Method for filling

Beat the cream to form stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone and fold in the almonds.

To assemble the tarts, fill each pastry case with some of the almond filling and top liberally with sliced fruit. If you wish, a little of the fruit can be pureed by mixing it with the icing sugar and passing through a sieve. This can ben spooned over the fruit tarts before serving.

If you are pressed for time use 225g/8oz of pre-packed shortcrust pastry.