Lazy Days: Lattice Fruit Tarts

“Bake Off” is back with a bang! We’re loving this series already and all the showstoppers and time challenges so far – soggy bottoms and all! The end of summer and the turn to autumn is a fantastic time to pick up baking again. The mornings are a little crisper, the evenings are a little shorter and weekends are the ideal time to indulge in some leisurely baking. Not to mention, September is the perfect time to go fruit picking, with blackberries and raspberries being top of the list. In light of this, we’re sharing Rodda’s recipe for Lattice Fruit Tarts, made with this season’s ripest fruit.

Makes 6

For the Blueberry & Blackberry filling

200g blueberries

200g blackberries

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 heaped tsp cornflour

For the Raspberry & Strawberry filling

200g raspberries

200g strawberries, diced

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 heaped tsp cornflour

500g shortcrust pastry pack

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp caster sugar

To serve

Rodda’s Cornish Clotted Cream

Icing sugar

Method

1. Make the fruit filling. Place all the blueberries and blackberries in a pan along with the other ingredients. Over a medium heat, cook the fruit down into a thick compote - this will take approximately 5 - 6 minutes. Repeat with the raspberry and strawberry filling. Set aside to cool.
2. In the meantime, make the tart cases. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to approximately 1cm thick. Line the tart tins with the pastry (reserving the excess pastry for the lattice top) and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. When the pastry has firmed up, remove from the fridge and line with a circle of greaseproof paper and spoon in some baking beans, raw rice or lentils. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper, prick the base with a fork and return to the oven to bake for a further 5 minutes until cooked.
4. Spoon the fruit fillings into the baked tart cases. With the excessive pastry, cut into long, thin strips and lay over each tart in a lattice pattern. Stick the lattice to the tart using a little egg at the edges. Egg wash the lattice and sprinkle with a little sugar. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes until crisp and golden.
5. When baked, remove the tarts from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the tarts from the cases and finish with a sprinkling of icing sugar. Serve alongside a large dollop of Rodda’s Cornish Clotted Cream.