Frozen Berry Pudding

This rustic open berry tart is what we make when we want pie without the fuss. There’s no lining tins, no blind baking and no pastry skills required. It can be made any time of year using frozen berries. Simply pile the fruit onto the pastry, fold up the edges and bake.

Don’t be alarmed by the high oven temperature. It’s the secret to crisp, flaky pastry and soft, jammy fruit. The sugar on the pastry will caramelise, creating a rich, burnished crust. Don’t be tempted to take it out too early – this tart should be deeply golden and beautifully caramelised.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Skill Level: easy

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Where to buy Carême Pastry

Ingredients

1 x Carême Sour Cream Shortcrust Pastry, defrosted
500g frozen mixed berries (mix of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries), no need to thaw
¼ cup caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch salt
2 tbsp berry jam (raspberry,
strawberry or cherry – whatever is in the pantry)
1 egg, lightly beaten (egg wash)
Extra caster sugar, for sprinkling
generously
Vanilla ice cream or cream, to serve
For the frangipane:
55g butter, softened
55g caster sugar
1 egg
55g almond meal
Pinch salt
Variation:
Instead of the frangipane, you
could simply use ½ cup of almond meal

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan-forced with bottom heat (use the bread-baking function if your oven has one).
Unroll the pastry, leaving it on the baking paper, and transfer it to a large baking tray.
For the frangipane, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg and
beat until incorporated, then fold through the almond meal and salt.
Spread the frangipane over the centre of the pastry, leaving a 3–4cm border around
the edge. Alternatively, sprinkle the ½ cup almond meal evenly over the centre of the pastry, leaving the same border.
Toss the frozen berries with the sugar, cornflour and lemon juice, then gently mix through the jam. Don't leave the berries to sit for long.
Pile the berry mixture over the frangipane or almond meal. Fold the pastry border up
and over the edge of the fruit, gently pleating as you go – rustic is perfect.
Brush the pastry border with egg wash, then sprinkle generously with caster sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes at 220°C fan-forced, then reduce the oven to 200°C and bake for a further 10–15 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden and caramelised and the fruit is bubbling vigorously.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cream.

Notes

Claire’s note:

The frangipane/almond meal is doing two jobs: it catches the fruit juices so the pastry stays crisp underneath, and it adds a quiet nutty richness that complements almost any fruit. Don’t skip it. If you don’t have almond meal, ground hazelnuts or even fine breadcrumbs (lightly toasted) work in a pinch.