Description

This tart is pure comfort food! It's also perfect for entertaining as it can be prepared in advance. Blind baking the pastry before adding the filling will help avoid the dreaded Great British Bake Off soggy bottom!

Preparation time: 1.5 hours

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5.

Sieve the flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl then add in the butter by rubbing the ingredients together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Mix in the grated orange zest.

Beat the RSPCA Assured egg with the milk, then add to the dry mixture and gently work together by hand until it forms a ball of dough.

Be careful not to handle the dough too much from this point, as this will make your pastry crumbly.

Sprinkle a little flour over the pastry and pat (don’t roll) into a flat round shape, about 2.5cm thick.

Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once chilled, roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a floured surface and use it to line a 23cm pie or tart tin, leaving a slight overhang around the edge.

Refrigerate for a further 10 minutes, then prick the base lightly with a fork.

Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans, then place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the beans and paper, then bake for another 10 minutes until the crust starts to 

look 'biscuity'.

Tip the apples into a large bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes, or parboil in a pan for 5 minutes and drain.

Stir in the berries, sugar, spices and 2 tbsp flour and pile the mixture into the crust.

Roll the remaining pastry into a square, roughly 30 x 30cm.

Cut out 10 strips and, starting in one corner, alternate horizontal and vertical strips, leaving gaps in between to create a woven lattice pattern.

Push the ends into the edge of the tart and trim the overhang of pastry that was left on the crust.

Cut any remaining pastry into shapes; hearts, stars, circles (or flowers if you are feeling adventurous) and place around the edge of 

the tart, using dabs of your beaten egg and milk mixture to stick them down. 

Brush the pastry heavily with the remaining mixture, then sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake for 1 hour or until brown and bubbling.

Leave to cool for 30 minutes before serving with whipped cream or custard.