Easy strawberry puff pastry tarts with whipped mascarpone

I am always buying punnets of fresh strawberries intending to make layer cakes or any number of complicated desserts and pies… But the strawberries usually end up in my belly (or the bellies of my children) lately since it has been TOO DARNED HOT to bake.

That’s right, London has been hotter than a few Mediterranean countries in the past ten days. And when it gets that hot, with the bluest of blue skies and not a cloud around the last thing I want to do is cook or bake or do anything requiring any effort whatsoever. I think the heatwave has lulled me into thinking I am on holiday, or at least I ought to be!

But you will be glad to hear that I managed to rouse myself enough to bake these easy strawberry puff pastry tarts. How much do I love these, let me count the ways…

• So easy a child could easily make them.
• A perfect dessert when in a hurry – provided you have pre-rolled puff pastry.
• Easy to adjust the recipe to whatever is in season – any number of berries and summer fruit can take the place of the strawberries.
• Instead of mascarpone you can use cream cheese or plain whipped cream.

How to Make Strawberry Puff Pastry Tarts

Step 1. Unroll your puff pastry keeping it on the paper it comes rolled in. Cut into rectangles or squares and score a small border on each. Prick inside the border with a fork.

Step 2. Separate the pastry on the sheet and brush the edges with egg wash. Sprinkle with a little sugar or flaked almonds and bake for 16 minutes. Check the tarts are not browning too much, if they are lower the oven temperature a little. Once baked, gently press down the middle of each tart to flatten and leave to cool.

Step 3. Put the icing sugar, mascarpone, single cream and vanilla paste in a bowl and whisk until you have soft peaks. You could flavour this with a little rum or brandy if you like. Do not over whip as this make cause the filling to curdle.

Step 4. Fill each tart with a generous swirl of cream and top with halved fresh strawberries. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately – the tarts are best eaten soon after assembled as the filling will cause the puff pastry to soften.

Here’s Some More Ideas with Puff Pastry Tarts

• Cheese and asparagus puff pastry tarts
• Easy vegetarian tomato tarts
• Egg and goat’s cheese puff pastry galettes
• Goat’s cheese and beetroot puff pastry tart
• Apple and marzipan tart with salted caramel
• Three Ingredient S’mores Tart

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