‘Pastry School’ cookbook: Recipes from gluten-free lemon meringue pie to roasted rhubarb and raspberry tart

Fruit tarts are so delicious yet simple, really. Pastry, custard, fruit… that’s it. I never feel the need to glaze the fruit as the natural flavours and vibrant colours are splendid enough as they are. The arrangement of the fruit is what gives this tart the wow factor, and for that reason they are among my favourite things to make. I can faff about for ages… creating a beautiful fruit topping, adding texture with pastry shapes and bursts of fresh flavour with herbs and edible flowers. I have used a selection of summer fruits here, but really you can use anything you like, depending on season, availability and personal preference.

Serves 6

A rectangular, fluted loose-bottomed tart tin measuring 30x12x2.5cm
1 quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (see below)

For the creme patisserie​

4 egg yolks
85g caster sugar
60g plain flour
330ml milk
1tsp vanilla bean paste

For the rhubarb

200g rhubarb
75g caster sugar
aromatic spices, star anise and cardamom work well (optional)
juice of 1 clementine, or 50ml water

Fruit

raspberries
red-fleshed plums
baby figs
cherries
blueberries
black seedless grapes

To finish

baked pastry shapes (optional)
Greek basil (optional)
edible flowers (optional)​

Make the pastry following the recipe below. After resting, line, blind bake and trim a pastry case. Any spare pastry can be cut into shapes, baked separately and added to the tart for extra decoration.

Make the creme patisserie by adding the egg yolks and one-third of the sugar to a large bowl. Whisk until the yolks are pale and have some volume, then add the flour, whisking to combine. In a large saucepan, bring the milk, the remaining sugar and the vanilla to the boil, removing from the heat as soon as it does. Pour a little of the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously, then add the remainder.

Pour the custard back into the pan and bring to a gentle boil again. Allow the custard to bubble and thicken for about 2 minutes, whisking throughout. Once thickened, remove from the pan and place in a bowl, covering the surface with a layer of cling film before it cools, to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool completely, then keep in the fridge until needed.

Preheat the oven to 180C, gas mark 4. Cut the rhubarb into long pieces, so they fit into a roasting tray. Toss with the sugar and add some spices, if desired, then squeeze over the clementine juice or pour over the water. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stems. When tender yet still intact, remove the rhubarb from the tray to a plate lined with a clean tea towel and allow to cool. Discard the spices, if used.

Once cool, cut into bite-size pieces and place to one side. Wash and prepare the other fruit – varying how you slice each will add interest and texture to the finished tart.

Whisk the cooled creme patisserie​ vigorously until smooth, then spoon a generous layer over the prepared pastry case, levelling it off. Start placing the fruit over the custard, being decorative and creative in the design, until it has been completely covered. Tuck any baked pastry pieces that may have been made in and around the tart, then add extra little dots of creme patisserie to highlight the design. Finish with some Greek basil leaves and edible flowers, if you like, remembering that these are added for their flavour, not just for decor. Here I have used a variety of phlox flowers and salvia “hot lips”, along with some white forget-me-nots. Best served at room temperature.

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Makes 1 quantity

230g all-purpose flour
125g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes, no need to be precise
50g icing sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk

For egg wash – if and when the recipe calls for it

1 egg yolk
boiling water

Place the flour and butter into the bowl of a freestanding mixer and attach the paddle beater. Mix on a medium speed until the butter has been incorporated into the flour and resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the icing sugar and mix for a few seconds before adding the egg yolk and milk. Continue to mix until a cohesive dough forms – this should only take 30-60 seconds, depending on your mixer. Turn out the pastry onto a work surface – there’s no need for more flour – and bring it swiftly together with your hands, without overworking it.

Lay out a long sheet of cling film and place the dough on one half. Flatten the pastry with the palms of your hands, then fold the remaining cling film over the top, fully encasing the dough.

Roll out swiftly between the cling film to an approximate depth of 5mm, trying your best to keep it in a circular shape. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before using. After resting, roll out between two sheets of non-stick baking paper – there’s no need for more flour – and use according to the relevant recipe instructions.

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Gluten-free lemon meringue pie

Making a lemon meringue pie using gluten-free pastry was a challenge – the pastry itself was a labour of love, and after finally getting that part right, I discovered the pre-baked pastry altered considerably when filled with the lemon custard, which took me back to square one. With some final tweaks and a slight compromise on the texture of the lemon layer, this pie has everything a standard gluten-based lemon meringue pie has – crisp, delicious pastry, a tart and creamy filling, and a crunchy yet soft-centred meringue top. As you’re not creating a pie lid there is enough pastry to make two cases. I have doubled the fillings and toppings, so this recipe makes two pies – one for you and one for a friend!

Makes 2 pies, each serves 6

Two deep, fluted, loose-bottomed 18x3cm circular tart tins
1 quantity sweet gluten-free pastry (see below)
cornflour, for dusting

For the filling

100g caster sugar
60g cornflour
juice of 4-5 lemons – 180ml in total
6 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue topping)
450ml
double cream

For the meringue

130g egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour

Make the pastry following the recipe below. After resting in the fridge, roll it out between two sheets of nonstick baking paper (a gentle dusting of cornflour might be beneficial).

Blind bake two pastry cases, however, the pastry can be successfully pushed into the tin using your fingertips, if preferred.

To make the filling, place the sugar, cornflour and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl and mix well. Stir in the egg yolks to combine. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it is just starting to boil, then pour a little onto the egg mixture, whisking well before slowly pouring in the remainder.

Return the mixture to the pan and bring back to the boil, whisking continuously. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for a minute or two. Fret not if the appearance changes, it is only a reaction between ingredients that will be rectified later. Remove from the heat and allow to cool fully.

Pour the cooled custard into a food processor and blend until smooth, then pour into the pre-baked pastry cases, levelling out with a palette knife.

Preheat the oven to 100C. To make the meringue, pour the egg whites into the clean bowl of a freestanding mixer and attach the whisk. Whisk on a medium speed for a few minutes until the whites stiffen to soft peaks (test by tipping the bowl, if the egg whites slide, mix a little longer).

Mix together the sugar and cornflour and add this, one tablespoon at a time, to the egg whites with the whisk running continuously.

When all of the sugar has been incorporated, turn the speed to low and whisk for 2 minutes more or until no sugar crystals can be felt between your fingers.

Spoon the meringue over the lemon layers, spreading it out gently across the surface. Do make sure you bring the meringue right to the very sides of the pastry cases as this creates a blanket of insulation for the creamy filling below.

Push the meringue around with the back of a spoon, swooshing and swirling to create texture, then bake in the oven for 1 hour, after which time the meringue’s exterior will be crisp yet the inside still soft. Switch off the oven, leaving the pies inside for 30 minutes more, without opening the oven door.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing the tins. Serve warm or allow to cool completely if preferred – pouring cream is optional.

Salted and sweet gluten-free pastry

Makes 1 quantity

35g ground almonds (for a stronger flavour, use ground hazelnuts)
40g brown rice flour, plus 1 tablespoon, if needed
50g juwar (sorghum) flour
35g tapioca flour
30g cornflour, plus extra for dusting
15g amaranth seeds, ground (*see note)
½ teaspoon fine salt
115g unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1cm cubes
1 egg yolk
50ml cold milk
For egg wash (if stated in the recipe)
1 egg yolk
boiling water

In the bowl of a freestanding mixer, place all of the dry ingredients and the butter, then attach the paddle. Mix on a medium speed until the butter has been incorporated into the flour – bigger, unevenly distributed pieces of butter are fine, as this will help the pastry to flake and be less cardboard-like when baked (as is characteristic of gluten-free pastry).

Add the egg yolk and the milk and continue to mix until a cohesive dough forms – this should take only 30-60 seconds, depending on your mixer. If the pastry seems overly wet at this point, add an extra tablespoon of brown rice flour and re-mix.

Lay out a long sheet of cling film and place the pastry on one half, then flatten it down with the palms of your hands and fold the remaining cling film over the top, fully encasing the dough. Roll out between the cling film to an approximate depth of 5mm, trying your best to keep it in a circular shape.

Place in the fridge for at least an hour to rest. After resting, lay out a sheet of non-stick baking paper and dust it with cornflour. Transfer the pastry to the paper and dust the surface with a little more cornflour.

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Top with a second sheet of baking paper and roll out between the papers (6), lifting and replacing the papers from time to time to prevent sticking. An additional light dusting of cornflour will do little harm. The pastry is now ready to use according to the relevant recipe instructions – whether to line tart tins or simply cut and baked to make the base of a tarte fine.

* To grind the amaranth seeds, place a larger amount than you need into a spice grinder, pestle and mortar, or similar, and blitz or pummel until the seeds become floury but aren’t yet reduced to a powder – this texture will help the finished pastry have some crunch. Weigh out the 15g needed and keep the rest in an airtight container for future use.

* For a sweet version, simply add 20g icing sugar and omit the salt.

‘The Pastry School‘ by Julie Jones is published by Kyle Books, £25, octopusbooks.co.uk