SUMMER STORM

The Garden after the Storm

There was a violent thunderstorm, last evening, that lasted for over an hour.  The lights went off, so we we sat in flickering candlelight but, fortunately, we had half a strawberry tart and we  prepared a Kir Royale for comfort.

                                                   STRAWBERRY TART

Delicious

This is a lovely strawberry tart.

Pastry

250 g (8 oz + 1 tbsp) plain flour

2-3 tbsp fine semolina

120 g (4 oz) sugar

150 g (5 oz) butter

A pinch of salt

1 egg

Grated  rind of 1 orange

A scant amount of orange fizz

Filling:

3 egg yolks

60 g (2 oz) sugar

A pinch of salt

300 g (10 oz) Greek yogurt or thick cream

330 g (11 oz) strawberries, blended and sieved

2 tbsp brown sugar

Garnish:

10-15 medium-sized strawberries, sliced

Strawberry Coulis:

200 g (about 7 oz) ripe strawberries, blended with

2 tbsp icing sugar

For the pastry blend butter, orange rind, sugar, salt, semolina and flour together until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the egg yolk and just enough (1-2 scant tsp) orange fizz to form a soft dough.    Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Beat the sugar, salt and egg yolks until light and fluffy then add the yogurt or cream, the strawberry pulp and mix well together.

 Thinly roll out the pastry and line a 24 tart tin. Prick the pastry with a fork, pour in the filling, sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 35-40 minutes.   Remove from the oven to cool, Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries and ice for two hours.   

To make fresh strawberry coulis blend and sieve the strawberries and mix with the icing sugar.    Serve the strawberry tart in wedges with some strawberry coulis on the side.

                                                          KIR ROYALE

  

Kir Royale is a famous Champagne cocktail and very easy to prepare.

Pour into each Champagne flute:

1 tbsp Creme de Cassis
Top with Champagne or a good quality sparkling wine

Cheers!!