Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
Pastry:
7 1/8 ounces plain flour, plus extra
plain flour, for rolling
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, softened to room temperature plus extra
unsalted butter, for greasing
4 1/2 ounces caster sugar
1 sprig fresh thyme (stripped)
3 egg yolks
uncooked rice, for baking
Filling:
9 ounces even-size strawberries, hulled
4 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
9 5/8 ounces double cream
1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
1 lime, zest of, finely grated
2 ripe passion fruit, halved (wrinkled)
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
6 large basil leaves, chopped
icing sugar
1 small basil leaves, to serve
Directions:
Pastry:
1. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl.
2. Rub (mix) in the butter until it is the texture of crumbs, then mix in the sugar and thyme leaves.
3. Make a well in the centre.
4. Beat the egg yolks together, then stir into the mixture with a table knife until it forms soft clumps.
5. Using your fingers, draw the pastry together into a rough dough.
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead into a smooth ball.
7. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
8. Rub a little softened butter around a plain 9" flan ring.
9. Cover a heavy baking sheet with nonstick baking parchment and place the ring in the centre.
10. Dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour.
11. Lightly re-knead the dough until smooth, then roll out to a round roughly 11 3/4 in diameter.
12. Lift the dough over the rolling pin and drape over the ring.
13. Press gently into the sides and let the overhang fall on the outside.
14. Break off a chunk of pastry and roll into a ball.
15. Dip into a little of the icing sugar, then use it to press the dough into the ring.
16. Do not trim at this stage.
17. Chill the tart pan for at least 30 mins, preferably in the freezer.
18. Heat oven to 180C/356ºF.
19. Cover the tart pan with a large round of baking parchment, then half-fill with uncooked rice.
20. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
21. Remove and lift out the parchment and rice.
22. Turn oven to 160C/320ºF wait about 5 mins, then return the case and bake for a further 10 mins until golden brown.
23. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
24. Using a small, sharp knife, cut away excess pastry, trimming the ring top.
25. Loosen the sides with a knife, pull off the ring and leave to cool.
26. The pan should be biscuit crisp.
Filling:
1. Place the strawberries on a plate, dredge with the icing sugar and vinegar, then set aside.
2. Beat the cream with the grated zests until just forming soft peaks.
3. Scoop the passion fruit pulp into a small sieve and rub through onto the cream with the back of a spoon, then stir in the creme fraiche and yogurt.
4. Stack the large basil leaves together, shape into a roll, thinly slice into shreds, then chop;.fold these into the cream.
5. When the base has completely cooled (it doesn't matter if it has broken around the sides a little), assemble the tart.
6. Spoon the cream into a piping bag or ziplock without a nozzle, then pipe in small, even dollops over the base.
7. Drain the strawberries and press lightly onto the cream.
8. Dust over more icing sugar, tuck in the small basil leaves among the strawberries and serve immediately
(www.food.com)
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