TOASTER TARTS

Two of our friends, Roger and Sue, happen to be food critics/writers. While this was daunting at first, as always familiarity breeds contempt (not really!), and I started on a silent mission to get them to eat ‘industrial’ food. After all, even processed food must once have been as pure as the driven snow. So, here’s our take on a mass-produced pop classic. We top the tarts with some lemon icing and a sprinkling of salt, but they are great as they are. And even better with ice cream — definitely part of a complete breakfast!

MAKES 8

ABBA ZABBA FILLING

6 apples

50 g (1¾ oz) butter

100 g (3½ oz) liquorice, chopped

Peel the apples and begin to sauté in a frying pan with the butter over medium heat. After about 5 minutes, once you get some caramelisation, add the liquorice and continue to cook until the apples are tender.

Give the apples and liquorice a quick whiz in a blender until smooth, then place in the fridge to cool.

FOR THE TARTS

1 quantity of savoury shortcrust pastry

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4). Roll out the pastry to 2 mm (¹/₁₆ inch) thick. Cut it into 16 rectangles, measuring about 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches).

Pipe a thin layer of the abba zabba filling onto the eight pastry rectangles, leaving a 1 cm (½ inch) border at the edge. Top each with another pastry rectangle.

Bake the tarts for 15 minutes, until pale golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool; the tarts can be baked a day ahead.

LEMON ICING

50 ml (1½ fl oz) lemon juice

250 g (9 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

a pinch of sea salt, for sprinkling

Get everything ready to make the lemon icing, but prepare the icing just before toasting the pop tarts.

Pour the lemon juice into a microwave-proof dish. Zap it in the microwave for 15 seconds so it comes to the boil.

Remove from the microwave, then add the sugar and the salt. Beat until smooth, then use immediately.

TO ASSEMBLE

sea salt, for sprinkling

ice cream, to serve

Give the tarts a quick blast in the toaster, as you would for toast.

Top the tarts with some lemon icing and a sprinkling of salt. Serve with ice cream.