Neenish Tarts

With a crisp, buttery tart crust, jam and cream filling and their two tone topping, these traditional neenish tarts are a wonderful Australian afternoon tea treat that will hit a nostalgic chord for many!

INGREDIENTS (NEENISH TARTS)

• 1 ¾ cups plain flour
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 185g cold butter, chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tsp cold water
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam

INGREDIENTS (MOCK CREAM)

• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp milk
• 1/3 cup water
• ½ teaspoon powdered gelatine
• 185g butter, softened
• 1 Tsp vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS (GLACÉ ICING)

• 1 ½ cup icing sugar
• 15g butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp hot milk
• Pink food colouring
• 1 tsp cocoa powder

METHOD

Process the flour, icing sugar and butter until crumbly in a food processor. With the motor running, add the egg yolk and enough of the water to make the ingredients come together. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Wrap pastry in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Grease two 12-hole patty pan tins. Roll out half the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut out 12x 7.5cm rounds with a cookie cutter and press into the holes of the pans. Prick bases of cases well with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Bake for 12 minutes. Stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, make the mock cream. Stir the sugar, milk and ¼ cup of water in a small saucepan over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle gelatine over remaining water in a small jug and stand 5 minutes. Stir into the milk mixture until gelatine dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Beat butter and extract in small bowl with electric mixer until it is as white as possible. Gradually beat in cold milk mixture, until light and fluffy.
To make the glacé icing, sift the icing sugar into a medium bowl, stir in butter and enough of the milk to make a thick paste. Divide icing between two small heatproof bowls, tint icing in one bowl with pink colouring. Stir sifted cocoa into the other bowl of icing until combined. Stir each bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water until icing is spreadable (being careful not to let the bowl touch the water).
Divide jam between pastry cases, fill cases with mock cream, level tops with a spatula. Spread pink icing over half of each tart; cover remaining half with the chocolate icing and serve.

Makes 12

Enjoy with a cup of Nerada Black Tea