Homemade Strawberry Tartlets

Ingredients:
8 oz (225 g) ready-made shortcrust pastry
¾ cup (150 g) mascarpone cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1¼ cups (175 g) strawberries or other soft fruit
4 tbsp red currant gelatin
1 tbsp (15 ml) water

Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Roll out the pastry until it’s thin and even; then, using a 3 1⁄2” (9 cm) fluted pastry cutter, cut out eight circles. Press the pastry circles into a muffin pan.

Press a piece of scrunchedup foil into each crust. Cook for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the foil. Return to the oven for 3–4 minutes. Cool in the muffin pan, then transfer to a cooling rack.

To make the filling, place the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar, then beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Place the strawberries on a cutting board. Remove the green stalks from the strawberries. Then use a sharp knife to cut them in half. (Quarter them if the strawberries are large.)

When the pastry crusts are completely cool, use a teaspoon to fill them with the mascarpone and vanilla extract mixture. Arrange the strawberries over the top.

Place the red currant gelatin in a small pan with the water and cook over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until  the gelatin has dissolved. Brush this over the strawberries.

Chef’s Tip:
Placing scrunched-up foil in the pastry crusts prevents them from shrinking.