I’m so sorry about being MIA for so long guys! I think it’s been about three weeks since my last post. Where does the time fly?!
Since I last sat down to write a post a lot has happened! We went on a vacation and visited San Francisco, Jamaica and New York. We ate a lot of delicious pastries and amazing dishes, enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine, and did a lot of walking and relaxing. It was really nice to explore and eat our way through SF and NYC and be sure that I will post some bakery wrap-ups for those two cities soon!
Jamaica was super relaxing, we stayed on the beautiful Seven Mile Beach in Negril and spent the majority of our time lazing on the beach, swimming in the super warm Carribean sea, taking in the amazing views Jamaica has to offer, and eating a lot of Jerk chicken. Most excitingly, when we were in Jamaica, Mr Man proposed! It was such a beautiful moment, with the sun setting over the beach, and we’re so excited to be engaged and planning the next stages of our lives.
Since we got home it’s been a whirlwind of catching up with friends and family, making lots of custom cakes, getting back into the swing of things at work and attempting to begin engagement and wedding planning. It’s so overwhelming! I’d love to hear if you’ve got any advice and tips.
So in and amongst all this, I was trying to come up with a dessert to take to a dinner and it really had to be simple and easy to make – but I still wanted it to be delicious. And that’s how this tart was born.
With three super simple components – a cold set cheesecake style base, a vanilla mascarpone cream, and fresh berries – it was a cinch to put together. The base is buttery and crumbly, and the topping has that nostalgic flavour of strawberries and cream. So good! And the perfect way to ring in spring. X
- FOR THE BASE
- 200g digestive biscuits or graham crackers, blitzed (7 oz)
- 70g unsalted butter, melted (2½ oz)
- pinch salt
- FOR THE TOPPING
- 125g mascarpone (1/2 cup)
- 125g cream (1/2 cup)
- 27g caster (superfine) sugar (2 tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 punnet strawberries, washed and hulled, some halved
- 1 punnet blueberries
- Edible flowers (optional)
- To make the base, place the ring from a 9 inch spring form tin on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Combine the biscuits, salt and butter, and press evenly into the base of the tin.
- Chill in the fridge till firm.
- To make the topping, whip the mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
- Remove the tart base from the tin and place on a plate.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle to pipe dots of the cream all over the tart base.
- Arrange the berries (and flowers, if using) in and amongst the cream.
- Keep refrigerated. Serves 8.
- Happy baking!
Tart inspired by Maja Vase.