Happee Monkee

When I was in high school, my sister started working in a French cafe and for almost every night, she brought home breads, tarts, dough nuts that didn’t sell during the day. We were ecstatic of course. However, after a few weeks, the novelty wore off.

We got so sick of it that Mom had to store them in the freezer because no one was eating it. I got particularly tired of the fruit tarts.

Fast forward to recent years, there is a French patisserie down the street where I live. One day, Mr. G and I happened to stroll past and we couldn’t help ourselves but to look at the lovely breads and pastries. My eyes were caught at the strawberry tarts. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was so beautiful. So, we picked a strawberry tart and something else I cannot remember.

When we got home, we opened the paper package carefully and spied the tarts. The smell was amazing. It didn’t remind me of the fruit tart at all, to my relieve. I’d really wanted to enjoy the tart without distractions. We shared the strawberry tart and in a jiffy it was gone. What a pity. But it has inspired me to overcome my fear of fruit tarts and move on to create them.

Mascarpone Berry Tarts with Caramel Sauce (serves 3)
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1 sheet of instant shortcrust pastry
500g mixed berries
1 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup brown sugar + 2 tbsp
25g butter
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190*c/ 375*F.
2. Place a sheet of shortcrust pastry onto tart tins. Trim any excess pastry with a knife.
3. Remove pastry from oven and sprinkle 2 tbsp of brown sugar on the pastry and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.
4. Remove pastry from oven and leave aside to cool.
5. Meanwhile, put the remaining brown sugar and butter into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
6. When sugar has dissolved, add water and stir until combined.
7. Spread the mascarpone into the tart cases when it has cooled completely.
8. Arrange the berries on top of it.
9. Spoon the caramel sauce on top of the tarts and sprinkle with icing sugar to decorate.

Serve immediately.