Bakewell Tarts and Vanilla Buttercream
By Lily Vanilli

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Equipment
1 sieve
1 heavy-bottomed pan
1 piping bag
1 cupcake pan

Bakewell Tarts

Ingredients

For the pastry:
250g quality plain flour (we recommend W&H Marriage & Sons), plus extra for dusting
50g icing sugar
125g cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 large free-range egg, beaten
Zest of 1 orange
A splash of milk

For the coulis:
200g bag frozen mixed berries
50g caster sugar
50ml water

For the frangipane:
85g unsalted butter at room temperature
85g golden caster sugar
85g ground almonds
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 egg

Optional extras: toasted flaked almonds, fresh cherries

Method

Pastry:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. From a height, sieve the flour, then the sugar, onto a clean surface.
3. Work in the butter using your thumbs and fingers to achieve a fine, crumbly mixture.
4. Add the egg, orange zest and milk and gently work mixture into a ball of dough. Flour lightly.
5. Pat into a flat round, wrap in cling-film and refrigerate for a minimum of half an hour.

Coulis:
1. While the pastry is cooling, place all of the coulis ingredients into a heavy-bottomed pan.
2. Heat gently and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
3. Reduce to a simmer and heat until thickened. Allow to cool.

Frangipane:
Make the frangipane by beating all ingredients together until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients
55g unsalted butter at room temperature
250g icing sugar
4 tbsp almond meal
Approximately 1/2 cup double cream to taste

Method
1. Beat the butter for 5 minutes.
2. Add the sugar, almond meal and 1/4 cup cream, beating slowly. Continue to gradually add cream until desired thickness is reached and the mixture is smooth and light. This usually takes approximately 3 minutes.

Assembly:
1. Roll out the pastry, cut into rounds to fit a cupcake pan and press them into place.
2. Spoon in some of the coulis, pipe in the frangipane and top with flaked almonds.
3. Bake the tarts for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Cool, top with a dab of buttercream and top with a fresh cherry and toasted flaked almonds.