Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Size of Tart: 1 x 25cm x 3cm deep tart

Ingredients:

1 x 28cm disc of sweet short pastry ‘Ready Rolled’ or 225g sweet pastry if made yourself (see recipe)

500g fresh ripe summer raspberries

65g unrefined castor sugar

zest and juice of 1 large lemon

1tspn ground cinnamon

Method

1. Carefully line the tart base with the pastry, taking care to push the pastry into the bottom corner well.  Also thumb up the top edge so the tart is nice and deep.  Dock well with a fork.

2. Line with greaseproof paper or baking parchment and fill with baking beans.  Then bake in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes to set the pastry.

3. Remove the tart from the oven and turn the heat down to 180°C, Gas 4.  Lift out the paper and beans carefully.

4. Brush with the beaten egg and place back into the oven for 2 minutes to set and harden.

5. Turn the oven up to 190°C, Gas 5.

6. Place the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice and zest into a saucepan.

7. Place on the heat just bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.  Try not oo break up the fruit too much.

8. Straight away place the cooked raspberries into the pre cooked tart base, it should fill right to the brim.  Then sprinkle over the ground cinnamon.

9. Place in the oven and cook for 35 minutes, or until just set and thick.

10. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

11. Serve at room temperature cut into thick slices with a nice blob of creme fraiche.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“The love heart is purely optional, dedicated to the British Armed Forces!”

-Andrea Kiss

 Ingredients

• 1 roll of ready made shortcrust pastry

Filling

• 1 large onion
• 5 green peppers
• 5 large beef tomatoes
• hungarian paprika sausage
• 2 eggs
• salt
• black pepper
• sugar
• paprika
• Sour Cream (Optional)

Method

• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a large tart case.
• Fry chopped onions and chopped paprika sausage then add chopped peppers and tomatoes seasoning and cook for 20 minutes. Once cooked beat the 2  eggs and mix in. Simmer for another 5 minutes.  Fill tart base and bake till cooked. 
• Yummy hot or cold, serve with sour cream.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“Apple and cinnamon is my favourite combination, these tarts were so tasty! The recipe is really simple to make and easy to clean up after too.”

-Maddy Hunter

Ingredients

•1 large apple, peeled and chopped
•1 teaspoon lemon juice
•1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
•2 tablespoons raisins
•2 tablespoons sugar
•2 tablespoons sliced almonds
•2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

•In a small bowl, toss apple with lemon juice; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry  and use a cookie cutter of your choice to cut out individual tarts. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with apple mixture, sugar, cinnamon and almonds.
•Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Use parchment paper to slide tarts onto a wire rack to cool

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“I am so proud to support Blind Veterans UK. Here is the delicious recipe I made for the Tarts for Troops event I had at work, it was lovely with a cup of coffee!”

-Gareth Kane

Think your tart’s got what it takes? Submit a photo of your tarts and a recipe and they could be tomorrow’s Tart of the Day! 

 Pastry:
2 c flour
6 T sugar
3/4 c butter
2 egg yolks
Toffee-nut filling:
1 1/2 c whipping cream and sugar (of each!) 
1/2 grated orange peel 
1/4 t salt
2 c nuts–almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts
If almonds, use sliced ones and add 1/4 t almond extract.
If walnuts, use halves or large pieces
If hazelnuts, use whole ones or halves, skins removed

Prepare:
1.) Process or rub together first three ingredients, then add egg yolks and process until the dough holds together in a ball and runs on top of the blade.
2.) If necessary, add a few drops of milk.
3.) Press the dough evenly over the bottom and sides of an 11- to 12-inch fluted tart pan, or into several tart shells.
4.) Bake at 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6 for ten minutes; color will still be very pale.
5.) Set aside while you prepare filling:
6.) In a saucepan [it must be large; this stuff will boil up], combine whipping cream, sugar, orange peel and salt.
7.) Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
8.) Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
9.) Remove from heat and stir in chosen nuts.
10.) Pour nut mixture into pastry shell
11.) Bake in a 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6, about 35-40 minutes for a single large tart, about 20-25 for individual tarts.
12.) Remove from oven and let it stand at room temperature until just warm to the touch, then remove from the chosen pan and cool to room temperature..

This can be made up to a day ahead of time [More than that, and you run the risk of eating it all up before you intended to serve it.]

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“Although this sounds like a strange combination, the acidity of the vinegar complements the sweeteness of the blueberries perfectly! I’m so happy to have supported blind veterans by getting involved with Tarts for Troops.”

-Francis Miles

Ingredients

• 200g of ready rolled sweet shortcrust pastry (or you could make your own!)
• 1 punnet of blueberries
• A few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use a cookie cutter to cut out the individual tarts.
• Gently arrange blueberries onto each tart and top with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
• Bake for 25 mins.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

I am from the Military Wives Choir in Plymouth, and these are the tarts I baked for our ‘Tarts for Troops’ event yesterday evening.  If it carries on raining I will probably bake something else tomorrow!”

-Bridget Nicholson, Military Wives Choir

Ingredients:
For the pastry cases:
200g plain flour
Pinch of salt
70g unsalted butter
80g caster sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the tart filling:
250g caster sugar
150g ground almonds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoons rice flour or semolina
3 egg whites
70g desiccated coconut
Raspberry jam

2 x 12 ‘hole’ patty tins
Makes 18 tarts

Method:

1.  Start with the pastry.  Rub butter into flour and salt until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar.  Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and vanilla extract.  Stir together with a knife and bring together.  If it is too dry you can add a little water.  Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, flattening it slightly into a disc shape.  Chill for 30 minutes (the pastry and yourself – have a cup of tea).

2.  Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

3.  Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper (it’s quite sticky and you may need to use a little flour) until it is about 4mm thick.  Use a pastry cutter to cut out circles slightly bigger than the dimply bits in your patty tin.

4.  Put the pastry cases in their tins and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.

5.  Now for the filling.   Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until frothy but still runny.  In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, ground almonds, rice flour or semolina, and cinnamon.  Fold dry ingredients into the egg whites and then stir in only 50g of the coconut.

6.  Remove patty tins from the fridge and place a teaspoon of jam into the bottom of each (just leave as a blob – don’t spread out as it helps prevent it boiling over).  Spoon the coconut filling on top of each tart, and sprinkle the remaining 20g of coconut on top.

7.  Bake for around 20 minutes or until firm to touch.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“A delicious tart championing local ingredients that takes a ‘pub favourite’ and transforms it into a picnic delight.  Great served with the mini pickled onions.”

- Kerry Camm

Shortcrust Pastry 225 g (8oz): 

• 225 g (8 oz) Plain Flour* minced with 1tsp mustard powder
• pinch salt
• 50 g (2 oz) lard
• 50 g (2 oz) margarine
•  cold water to mix, about 30 ml (approx. 2 tbsp)

1.  Mix flour and salt in basin, rub in fat.
2. Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form a stiff dough.
3 . Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly.
4.  Roll out and use as required.

*Self raising flour may be used. The pastry will have a more cake-like texture.

Filling: 

• 2 -4 Spring onions, chopped
• 6-10 Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 50g pickle
• 75 g (3 oz) cheese, grated
• 2 medium eggs
• 150 ml (¼ pint) milk
•  Salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to 190ºC, 375ºF, Gas Mark 5. Roll pastry, cut out circles – use to line bun trays.
2. Place half the cheese in the pastry case and dot with spring onions and ½ cherry tomatoes.
3. Beat the eggs and milk together, season and pour over the cheese and veges.  Sprinkle on remaining cheese.
4. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until set and golden brown. Serve with mini pickled onions.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

Congratulations to Suzy East for winning Tart of the Day! We love the simplicity of this recipe and there are so many possibilities!

Think your tart’s got what it takes? Submit a photo of your tarts and a recipe and they could be tomorrow’s Tart of the Day! 

“These super easy tarts are quick and delicious! Simply roll out some ready-made puff pastry, cut into squares, top with your favourite ingredients and bake for about 10 minutes. These ones are tomato and goat’s cheese and caramelised onion and goat’s cheese.”

You can make lots of variations on this easy recipe: tomato, mozarella and basil, chicken and pesto, butternut squash and feta or use sweet pastry and top with your favourite fruits These are just a few ideas to get you started, just experiment with your favourite ingredients.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“These tarts are so easy to make and taste delicious, especially with vanilla ice cream! You can make different flavours by using different jams – strawberry would be nice too.”

- Pavel Merxuz, London

Think your tart’s got what it takes? Submit a photo of your tarts and a recipe and they could be tomorrow’s Tart of the Day! 

• 100 g shortcrust pastry
• 50 g butter/ coconut oil
• 50 g golden caster sugar
• 1 medium sized egg
• 50 g desiccated coconut
• Lemon curd

Directions:
1. Heat oven to gas mark 4 (350F, 180C) Roll out pastry thinly and cut into rounds using a 3 inch cutter. Place it in cupcake molds.
2. Place half a teaspoon of jam in the bottom of each tartlet.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and coconut.
5. Place 1tsp of the sponge mixture on top of the jam.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes until the sponge is golden brown and risen.

Variation: You can substitute lemon curd with a spoonful of your favourite jam!

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…

“Apple slices in apricot jam, spread over puff pastry, yum!  This deserves to be Tart of the Day because my Mum made it along with a tonne of other tasy tarts for our Tarts for Troops stall on Sunday 10th June!!”

- Lisa Taylor, Llandudno

Think your tart’s got what it takes? Submit a photo of your tarts and a recipe and they could be tomorrow’s Tart of the Day! 

Ingredients:

• Plain flour to dust worktop
• 500g pack of puff/flaky pastry
• 8 tablespoons of apricot jam
• 4 braeburn apples, cored and very thinly sliced

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 200c / 180c for fan / gas mark 6
• Lightly dust work surface with flour, roll out pastry until it measures 10ins by 14 ins and ¼ in thick
• Trim edges to neaten
• Put onto large baking tray and thoroughly prick pastry all over with a fork leaving a ¼ in boarder unpricked around the edge.
• Spread half the jam over the pricked pastry then arrange apple slices on top, overlapping to make neat rows.
• Bake tart for 30/35 mins or until pastry is golden and apples have just started to take on colour.
• When the tart is 5 mins away from done cooking, heat the remaining jam with two teaspoons of water in a pan until just boiling then carefully brush all over the apples straight after you remove the tart from the oven.

Why not use your tarts to help blind veterans? Find out how…