(for the fruits)

8 3/4 oz. strawberries, bulled & halved

7 oz. cherries, stoned & halved

4 ripe figs, quartered or sliced

2 peaches, stoned & sliced

7 oz. raspberries

confectioners' sugar for dusting

(for the pastry)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

a pinch of salt

1/2 cup plus 1 T unsalted butter, diced & chilled

4 1/2 T confectioners' sugar

1 medium egg yolk

1~2 T ice-cold water

2 t lemon juice

(for the mousseline)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 T hot water

3/4 cup blanched hazelnuts

1 1/4 cups whole milk

4 medium egg yolks

1 T cornstarch

1 t vanilla bean paste

3/4 cup heavy cream

[how to make]

(for the pastry)

*Tip the flour and salt into a bowl.

*Add the butter and, using a palette knife, cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are half of their original size.

*Switch to using your hands to rub the butter into the flour.

*Working quickly, pick up handfuls of the flour and butter and allow it to pass across your fingertips, gently pressing and rubbing the mixture as it falls back into the bowl.

*Still working quickly, continue rubbing the butter into the flour until there are only very small flecks of butter remaining.

*Add the sugar and mix.

*Make a well int he middle of the mixture, add the egg yolk, ice-cold water and lemon juice and mix using the palette knife until the pastry starts to clump together.

*Gather into a ball using your hands and very lightly knead for 10 seconds until smooth.

*Flatten the pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 2 hours.

(for the mousseline)

*Tip 1/2 cup of the sugar into a non-stick frying pan, add the hot water and set the pan over a low medium haeat to gently dissolve the sugar without stirring.

*Increase the heat, bring the syrup tot eh boil and continue to cook until the sugar becomes a deep amber caramel.

*Working quickly, tip the hazelnuts into the pan and, using a lightly oiled fork, stir to coat the nuts in the caramel.

*When the hazelnuts are lightly toasted and enrobed in caramel, tip the contends of the pan onto a sheet of baking parchment.

*Leave ti ciik and harden.

*Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat to just below boiling point.

*In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch and vanilla.

*Pour the hot milk into the bowl and whisk constantly until thoroughly combined.

*Return the mixture to the saucepan and set the pan over a low medium heat.

*Slowly bring to the boil, whisking constantly to cook the eggs and cornstarch and to thicken the custard.

*Once boiling, allow the custard to gently bubble and blip for 30 seconds to cook out the cornstarch.

*Strain into a clean bowl, cover the surface of the custard with cling film and leave to cool.

*Once completely cold, chill until ready to use.

(for the continued pastry)

*Dust the work surface with flour and roll out the pastry into a round 2~3mm thick, and with a diameter a generous 6cm wider than the base of the tart tin.

*Carefully line the tart tin with the pastry, trim the exvess from the top and prick the base of the tart shell with a fork.

*Chill for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

*Line the tart shell with foil and baking rice and place on a solid baking sheet.

*Cook on the middle shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes until the top edge of the pastry starts to turn golden.

*Remove the foil and rice and cook for a further 4 minutes or so until the pastry is crisp and golden all over. Leave to cool before filling.

(for the assembly)

*Break the caramelized hazelnuts into pieces and whizz in a food processor until finely ground.

*Continue whizzing for a further minute or two until the praline starts to turn into nearly smooth, nutty paste.

*Whip the cream until it will hold a peak then fold int eh chilled custard followed by the hazelnut cramel paste.

*Spoon this hazelnut mousseline into the tart shell and spread level.

*Arrange all the fruit on top of the hazelnut mousseline--as neatly or haphazardly as you like.

*Finally, dust with the icing sugar, and serve.

-makes 8 to 10-

Note: I found this recipe in "Pies & Tarts for all seasons" by Annie Rigg.

Labels: Fruit Tart recipe, mousseline tart recipe, tart recipe