Recipes

Ruby berry nests

A healthier alternative to the little chocolate cupcakes, so why not get the kids to help making these extra fruity alternatives. There’s no pastry to make, just cut out squares of ready rolled filo, bake and fill with custard and glazed red berries.

Makes 12

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

50 g (2 oz) butter

270g pack of 6 frozen filo pastry sheets (defrosted) – use 3 sheets (each 46 x 21.5 cm)

150 ml (¼ pint) double cream

400 g (14 oz) can low fat readymade custard

½ orange, grated rind and 1 tablespoon juice

450 g (1 lb) mixed berries (whole raspberries and blueberries and strawberries, halved or quartered)

3 tablespoons strawberry jam

Icing sugar (sifted) to decorate

1)    Warm the butter in a small saucepan until melted and use a little to grace a twelve section deep muffin tin. Separate the pastry sheets, brush each one with a little butter then cut into twelve rectangles.

2)    Lay one piece in each section the muffin tin then arrange a second and third square at a slight angle to the previous one to give a jagged nest like effect.

3)    Bake at 180°C / 350 °F / Gas mark 4 for 6-8 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave in the tin to cool.

4)    Take the pastry cases carefully out of the tin and arrange on a large serving plate. Whip the cream until if forms soft swirls then fold in the custard and orange rind. Spoon into the pastry cases.

5)    Warm the jam and orange juice in a small saucepan, stirring until the jam has melted. Add the berries, coat in the jam glaze then spoon into the tarts. Dust the top edges of the pastry with a little sifted icing sugar and serve.