Peach Melba tart

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. To make the pastry, put the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, slowly add the egg and blend just long enough for the mixture to form a ball.

• step 2

  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll out into a circle roughly 25cm in diameter. Use the pastry to line a 23cm-deep, loose-based, fluted quiche tin. Put on a sturdy baking tray and chill for 30 minutes.

• step 3

  Line the tart case with a large piece of crumpled baking parchment and fill with baking beans or dried chickpeas to prevent the pastry rising. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and discard the paper and beans. Return the pastry case to the oven for a further 3 minutes until the base is dry. Reduce the oven temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.

• step 4

  While the pastry is baking blind, prepare the filling. slice the peaches and twist in half. Remove the stones. Put the peach halves in a pan, just cover with water and bring to the boil. Blanch for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. If the skin is very stubborn, ease away with a vegetable paring knife. Put on kitchen paper to drain.

• step 5

  Pour the cream into a saucepan, scrape in the vanilla seeds and throw in the empty pod for good measure. Place the pan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer for 10 seconds. Beat the egg and egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl until creamed. Whisk the hot cream vigorously until thoroughly mixed into the eggs (remove the vanilla pod).

• step 6

  Arrange the peach halves, cut-side down, in the part-cooked pastry case. Dot with the raspberries. Pour over the custard – it should almost reach the top of the pastry. Return to the oven and bake for around 45 minutes or until the custard is only just set – it should still wobble in the middle. Cool in the tin. Scatter over with some toasted flaked almonds. Eat at tea-time, then dinner-time, then breakfast.