Sunshine

The Middle East’s summery ‘winter’ season is in full swing, and that means blazing BBQs, picnics and nice times spent in the garden. So get outside, bask in the sunshine and treat your friends and family to these fabulous new recipes

Fruit & mascarpone tart

Think of this tart as an oversized millefeuille, the classic French pastry of a ‘thousand layers’. Baking the puff pastry between two baking sheets compacts the layers whilst making them more distinct – flaky, brittle and totally delicious. It’s very easy to make, but impressive enough for a special gathering. Cutting it will be the only tricky part –for this use a small serrated knife.

SERVES 15-18 PREP 30 mins COOK 30 mins V

2 x 320g ready-rolled all-butter puffpastry

100g icing sugar

750g tub mascarpone

600ml double cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

200g raspberries, a few halved

200g blackberries, a few halved

1 large mango, peeled and thinly sliced

6 nectarines or peaches, or a mixture, sliced

4 passion fruits (look for ones with crinkly skin, this means they’re ripe), halved, seeds and pulp scooped out handful small mint leaves

1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll 1 pastry sheet, but leave it on the parchment. Place it on a baking tray, dust with 2 tbsp icing sugar, then cover with another sheet of parchment and another baking tray. Pour baking beans into the tray to weigh it down, or use empty cans. Bake for 30 mins, then check if the pastry is golden all over. If not, return for another 5 mins or so. Repeat with the other pastry sheet (or cook both together if you have enough trays). Once out of the oven, trim the edges with a large, sharp knife. Leave to cool.

2 Softly whip the mascarpone, cream, vanilla and remaining icing sugar, then transfer half to a disposable piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle (or just snip offthe corner). Pipe blobs of the mascarpone cream over the surface of one piece of pastry, right up to the edges. Top with half the fruit and dust with a little icing sugar.