Blueberry and Lemon Verbena Tarts

Recipe brought to you by delicious.com.au

The combination of light, fragrant lemon verbena custard and blueberries makes for a memorable dessert everyone will love. This recipe is an extract from Valli Little's new book, My Kind of Food!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (250ml) milk

• 10 lemon verbena leaves or 4 lemon thyme sprigs

• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar

• 1 egg and 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

• 30g cornflour

• 150ml thickened cream

• 250g blueberries

• 1/2 cup (160g) blueberry jam

PASTRY

• 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour

• 1/3 cup (40g) icing sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 125g cold unsalted butter, chopped

• 1 egg yolk

METHOD

For the pastry, place flour and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the vanilla and butter, and whiz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 1 tbs iced water, and whiz until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. Enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the custard, combine milk, lemon verbena and 30g sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then set aside for 30 minutes to infuse. In a large bowl, whisk egg, egg yolk, cornflour and remaining 25g sugar until pale and fluffy. Return the infused milk to the heat and bring to a simmer, then strain through a fine sieve into the egg mixture, discarding lemon verbena.

Pour into a clean pan and place over low heat. Stir for 5-6 minutes or until very thick and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and directly cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Chill.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease six 8cm round loose-bottomed tart pans.

Divide the pastry into 6 equal-sized pieces and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 3-4mm thick. Use pastry to line pans, trimming excess. Line cases with baking paper and fill with pastry weights. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove weights and paper. Bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk cream to soft peaks and fold into chilled custard. Fill pastry cases with custard and top with blueberries.

Place the jam and 2 tbs water in a saucepan over medium heat and warm through. Drizzle over tarts to serve.