Because the summer fruits are so good right now this month we bring you a deliciously sweet Basil-infused strawberry & blueberry tart (page 114 of the recipe book). The recipe was provided by Owen Saddler and Marilyn Chalkley from Dream Cuisine Patisserie.

Basil-infused strawberry & blueberry tart
Owen Saddler and Marilyn Chalkley, Dream Patisserie

Most of these ingredients can be acquired from market stallholders.

Filling

• fresh blueberries and strawberries
• bunch of basil

Pâte sucrée (sweet pastry)

• 100 g softened cultured butter
• 60 g icing sugar
• 250 g organic plain flour
• 1½ free-range eggs (55 g size)
• pinch of salt

Crème pâtissière

• 500 ml farm fresh milk
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 40 g organic plain flour
• 100 g castor sugar
• 1 vanilla pod

Method

– For the pâte sucrée, work butter, flour and sugar and pinch of salt together quickly and lightly to form crumbs. Add eggs and mix with a knife until it comes together into a lump. (You may need a little milk to help the process). Do not overwork.

– Rest in refrigerator for half an hour, preheat oven to 180°C then roll out to 3.5 mm. Cut to line flan tin, trim edges.

– Line with a sheet of baking paper, weighted down with pastry weights or dried beans, and cook at 180°C for about 20 minutes until golden brown.
Remove weights and allow to cool.

– For the crème pâtissière, place egg yolks and about one-third of sugar in a bowl. Whisk until pale and it forms a ribbon when you hold the spoon up.

– Sieve in the flour, and stir well.

– Warm the milk with the vanilla and rest of sugar and when warmed pour about a third onto the egg mix and whisk until smooth. Return the mix to the saucepan of milk whisking all the while.

– Continue to heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Turn down the heat and cook for a few minutes whisking all the while. Be careful the mixture does not stick on the bottom.

– When cooked remove from the heat and cool slightly.

– When still warm add a bunch of basil tied together with string and cover the whole pan with cling wrap, and let the basil steep for five minutes, (longer and it will become bitter)

– Remove the basil by string and pour the crème pâtissière through a sieve to ensure it is smooth.

– When cool, pour or pipe into pastry cases and decorate with strawberries, blueberries and basil leaves. If you like you can glaze the strawberries with a thin film of warm, sieved apricot jam before you add the other fruit and basil.