In a nutshell, a treat

COLOURFUL, convenient and delicious to eat, tarts are a great idea for a party. The shells can be made earlier and filled and decorated later in no time. And do not forget to make plenty of them, because they will vanish almost instantly.

Sweet paste tarts

Ingredients:

Icing sugar 1/2 cup Margarine 4 tbsps Flour 1-1/3 cups Custard powder 1 tbsp Lemon rind, grated 1/2 tsp Milk as required

Method:

Mix and beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon till light and white. Add the flour, custard and lemon rind. Mix with hand and make a dough. Use a little milk, if required. Put this dough in a plate and keep in fridge till it becomes hard. Remove and knead again. Make a ball and roll out on a plastic sheet sprinkled with flour. Make circles with a cutter big enough to fit in a greased tart baking tin. Place them carefully in the tins and prick with a fork on the sides, for they are to come out while baking.

Heat oven to 300^oC first, and then reduce it to 200^oC while placing the tray for baking. Bake till light brown. Remove, cool and store.

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Chocolate nut tarts

Ingredients:

Tart shells (prepared) 15 For the chocolate custard Milk 1 cup Custard powder 2 tbsps Cocoa powder 1 tbsp Drinking chocolate 1 tbsp Sugar 1/4 cup Vanilla essence 1/4 tsp Finely chopped walnuts 1/4 cup A few pieces of walnuts for garnishing

Method:

Take 3/4 cup of milk in a vessel and warm it. Melt the custard powder, cocoa powder and drinking chocolate in 1/4 cup of milk.

Add to the warm milk and stir continuously till custard is thick. Remove from heat and add the walnuts and vanilla essence. Put a spoonful of the custard in each tart shell to fill it up to 3/4 the capacity. Garish with more nuts.

One can serve tarts chilled or at room temperature.

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Mango custard tarts

Ingredients:

Tart shells (prepared) 15 For the mango custard Milk 3/4 cup Sugar 1/4 cup Custard powder 1 tbsp Thick mango pulp 1/3 cup Few pieces of mango and glaze cherry for garnishing

Method:

Take 1/2 cup milk and sugar in a vessel and warm it. Melt the custard powder in the remaining milk and mix with the warm milk. Stir continuously till the custard is thick. Remove and cool. Mix in the mango pulp. Put a spoonful of the mango custard in each tart shell till almost full. Garnish with mango pieces and glaze cherry. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Kiwi delight tarts

Ingredients:

Tart shells (prepared) 15 For vanilla custard Milk 1 cup Sugar 1/4 cup Corn flour 2 tbsps Mixed fruit essence 1/2 tsp A few slices of kiwi fruit as topping A few pieces of orange to garnish

Method:

Take 3/4 cup milk and sugar in a vessel and warm it. Melt the corn flour in 1/4 cup of milk and mix with the warm milk. Stir continuously till the custard is thick. Remove and cool. Mix the mixed fruit essence. Put a spoonful of the custard in each tart shell to 3/4 its capacity.

Cover the custard surface with the kiwi fruit slices. Garnish with orange or any other fruit pieces. Serve tarts chilled or at room temperature.

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Cherry beauty tarts

Ingredients:

Tart shells (prepared) 15 For the cherry custard: Milk 1 cup Sugar 1/4 cup Cherry custard powder 2 tbsps Cherry essence 1/2 tsp A few fresh cherries as topping Any other fruit like black grapes to garnish

Method:

Take 3/4 cup of milk and sugar in a vessel and warm it. Melt the cherry custard powder in 1/4 cup of milk and mix with the warm milk.

Stir continuously till the custard is thick. Remove and cool. Mix the cherry essence.

Put a spoonful of the custard in each tart shell to 3/4 its capacity. Cover the custard surface with cherry slices. Garnish with black grape pieces. Serve tarts chilled or at room temperature.

JYOTI N. PAREKH

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