Mini Apple and Blackberry Tarts {For the Queen's Jubilee}

These Mini Apple and Blackberry Tarts are perfect to bring to a street party over the Jubilee weekend. If you have not made pasty before then have a go as it's surprisingly easy (just stick exactly to the recipe) and the result is delicious.

The best thing about these tarts is that there's no need to pre-cook the apple and blackberry filling which makes it really quick. Try substituting blackberries for raspberries if you prefer. You might also like these Sticky Toffee Muffins as well.

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Mini Apple and Blackberry Tarts

• Time: 15 mins prep + 30 mins chilling + 20 mins cooking

• Cost: 16p per tart

• Calories: 142 per tart

• Makes: 12

Ingredients:

For the Pastry (adapted from Jamie Oliver):

• 160g plain flour + extra for rolling

• 80g butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

• 40g icing sugar + extra to dredge

• Zest 1/2 a lemon (optional)

• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (optional)

• 1 medium egg beaten

• Sunflower oil for greasing

For the Filling:

• 3 dessert apples (e.g. gala) peeled, cored & grated

• 40g blackberries (fresh or frozen)

• 20g caster sugar

• Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

Method:

1. To make the pasty, first sieve the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Pop the butter cubes in and rub the butter into the flour so the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. (The butter needs to be chilled so it does not melt in your hands, so make sure your hands, utensils and surfaces are as cool as possible. If the butter melts it affects the gluten in the flour and you'll get tough, chewy pastry instead of crumbly short pastry). Then add the lemon and cinnamon if using, and finally the beaten egg, a little at a time as you may not need all the egg, and mix to form a smooth dough. If you use all your egg and it's still too dry then add a splash of milk. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Roll the chilled dough out on a floured surface with a rolling pin so it's around 2 - 3 mm thick. Do not over-handle the dough, just be gentle with it and handle it as little as possible. Don't treat is like Playdoh basically. Using a large round cutter, or in my case a pint glass, cut out 12 circles each around 12 cm in diameter. (You will probably need to gather the scraps and re-roll the pastry to make all 12 circles). Take a 12 hole muffin tin and grease each hole lightly with oil. One by one, place each circle a hole of the muffin tin and gently press the edges of the circle against the sides to make a little open pastry case.

3. To make the filling, peel and grate the apples and combine with the blackberries. Sweeten to taste with around 20g of caster sugar (depends how sweet your apples are) and add a squeeze of lemon if you like. Distribute the filling into each of the 12 pastry cases evenly. Don't press the filling down hard, but make sure all the filling is inside the case as if it leaks out over the top it will cause the tart to stick inside the muffin tin.

4. If you would like to do the St. George's flag on each of the tarts, roll out your leftover pastry and using a sharp knife, cut it into 24 strips roughly 5cm long and about 3mm wide (no need to be too precise about this). Arrange two strips into a cross shape over each tart and carefully pinch the ends of the strips into the pasty case so it joins.

5. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 C / gas 4 for 20 minutes until golden. Carefully lift the tarts out of the tin using a blunt knife to help lever them out, and cool on a wire rack. Dredge with icing sugar before serving. They are delicious served warm with ice-cream, or cold with a cup of tea.