Gluten Free Elderberry and Bay Custard Tart

I love foraging so I always try and use the wild ingredients where I can. If you know a good spot for elderflowers, allow the flowers to develop into the berries and harvest them during August.

Serves 8

Prep time 45mins plus resting

Cook time 1hr

Pastry

125g cold butter, cubed

90g sifted icing sugar

220g gluten free plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp xantham gum

1 tsp ground psyllium husk

1 egg

Extra egg, whisked, for sealing

Custard

9 egg yolks

110g caster sugar

500ml double cream

3 bay leaves

Elderberry jam

300g Elderberries

150g Preserving sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1. First make the pastry, combine the butter and the icing sugar in a food processor. Add the flour, salt, xantham and psyllium and blend. Finally add the egg and blend again, it should come together into a dough, but if not add a tbsp of water at a time until it binds.

2. Remove from the food processor and form into a thick disk shape. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. For the custard, warm the cream in a medium sauce pan with the bay leaves. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together until fluffy. Remove the cream from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside to infuse.

4. Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease a 25 cm tart case and line the bottom with parchment. Roll out the pastry and carefully lift into the tin. Take a small piece of the pastry, dipped in flour and press the pastry into the corners and the sides then carefully slice any extra off the top edge. Prick all over with a fork to stop the pastry shrinking, line with parchment and put baking beans inside and blind bake for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the parchment and beans, paint with the egg to seat the holes and pop the tart back in the oven for 10 mins.

6. Strain the cream and egg through a sieve and pour into the pastry case. Carefully put the tart back in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and allow to cool.

7. For the elderberry jam, combine the elderberries, saving two tablespoons for finishing, with the preserving sugar and lemon juice and allow to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

8. Top the cooled custard tart with the jam and finish with a scattering of fresh elderberries.