Strawberry Tartlet Recipe with Elderflower Sorbet (2024)

1

Begin preparations the day before. For the strawberry jelly, combine the frozen strawberries with the sugar. Cover and place in the fridge to macerate overnight

2

To make the sorbet, whisk the pectin, IT-19 (or extra glucose) and caster sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside. Place the glucose in a pan along with 750g water and bring to the boil. Pour in the pectin mixture and allow to simmer for 2–3 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the tartaric acid and remove from the heat

3

Cool the mixture by pouring into a bowl placed over an ice bath. Once cool, stir in the lemon juice, vodka and cordial. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and store in the fridge overnight

4

The next day, pour the chilled sorbet mixture into an ice cream maker and churn. Store in the freezer until ready to serve

5

Now make the pastry. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter, egg, sugar and milk together on medium speed, then reduce to a low speed and continue to mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Turn the speed back up to medium and keep on mixing until everything is fully combined with a creamy texture

6

Add the flour and mix until just incorporated. Stop the mixer, turn the dough out onto a clean bench and knead by hand until it comes together. Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for 2–3 hours

7

Preheat an oven to 160°C/gas mark 3

8

Once the dough has fully rested, roll it out in between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a 3mm thickness. Line six individual greased tart cases (each 8cm in diameter) with the dough, ensuring the it is pressed into the edges of the cases. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes

9

To cook the pastry, line the tart cases with parchment and fill to the edge with baking beans. Place the tart cases onto a large tray and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the tray around and bake for another 15 minutes to ensure an even bake

10

In the meantime, make an egg wash by whisking together the egg and egg yolk. Remove the beans and parchment from the pastry cases and brush the tarts with the egg wash. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely

11

Next, make the jelly. Pass the macerated strawberries through a sieve, reserving 200g of juice for use in this recipe. Set the remaining juice aside to use in other dishes. Bloom the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes

12

Meanwhile, place the elderflower cordial, lemon juice and reserved strawberry juice in a bowl. Weigh out 50g of this mixture and heat through in a small pan. Strain and squeeze out the bloomed gelatine and add to the warm mixture, stirring until completely dissolved. Add back to the rest of the strawberry mixture and stir well to combine. Pour into a shallow tray and place in the fridge until set. Once set, break up the jelly using a spatula and transfer to a piping bag. Keep in the fridge until needed

13

To make the vanilla cream, bloom the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the double cream, whipping cream, eggs, caster sugar, vanilla seeds and butter to a medium-sized pan and mix using a hand blender until fully incorporated

14

Place the pan over moderate heat and bring to 82°C, stirring constantly. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Add the cocoa butter and blitz with the hand blender until emulsified. Strain and squeeze the bloomed gelatine and add to the warm mixture, stirring until completely dissolved

15

Pass the mixture a second time through a fine mesh sieve into a container. Cover with parchment paper and place in the fridge until needed

16

For the crystallised pistachios, preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3.5

17

Spread the pistachios on a roasting tray lined with parchment paper and place in the oven for 8 minutes until evenly toasted

18

Meanwhile, add the sugar and 75g water to a saucepan and cook until it reaches 130°C – it should have a syrupy consistency. Remove the pan from the heat and add the pistachios to the syrup, stirring with a spatula until it crystallises. Pour out onto a tray lined with parchment paper and allow cool and set, breaking up the nuts before they cool completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container

19

Repeat this process to make the crystallised nibbed almonds

20

For the macerated strawberries, start by making a chamomile sugar. Blitz the caster sugar, icing sugar and the contents of a chamomile teabag to a fine powder in a blender

21

Sprinkle this chamomile sugar over the strawberries and leave to macerate for 5 minutes. Spread the strawberries out on a tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess juice

22

To serve, fill the tart cases with the vanilla cream and pipe some of the strawberry jelly in the middle. Arrange the macerated strawberries on top of the tart case and sprinkle over some crystallised pistachios. Garnish with micro basil or finely sliced basil leaves. Serve the tart with a scoop of the elderflower sorbet, sat on top of a small mound of the crystallised nibbed almonds