Philippe Mouchel

Presented in 2011

Red fruits and lemon mirliton tart

Serves 6

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) frozen berries

icing (confectioner’s) sugar and fresh berries, to serve

fresh berry coulis and berry sorbet, to serve (optional)

Mirliton

4 eggs

100 g (3½ oz) sugar

40 g (1½ oz/¹/₃ cup) icing (confectioner’s) sugar

160 g (5²/₃ oz) double (thick) cream

80 g (2¾ oz/¾ cup) almond meal (ground almonds)

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted

Shortcrust pastry

120 g (4¼ oz) unsalted butter, softened

80 g (2¾ oz) icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted

25 g (1 oz/¼ cup) almond meal (ground almonds)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 pinches of salt

1 egg

200 g (7 oz/1¹/₃ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

To make the shortcrust pastry, in a bowl, add the butter, icing sugar, almond meal, vanilla extract and salt. Mix with a spatula until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the egg and mix again. Add the flour and mix without overworking the dough. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

To make the mirliton, in a bowl, break the eggs, add both the sugars, the double cream, almond meal, lemon zest and melted butter. Mix well for 1 minute.

Roll out the dough to about 2 mm (¹/₁₆ inch) thick and use to line a 20 cm (8 inch) fluted tart ring (round or square) placed on a baking tray. Cut off the excess dough. Place a mix of frozen berries in the base of the tart and top with the mirliton mixture.

Bake for about 40 minutes, then carefully transfer the tart to a wire rack and cool down completely before removing the ring.

To serve, dust with icing sugar, finish with fresh berries. Serve with a fresh berry coulis and berry sorbet if desired.