Wild Service Berry Tart

Ingredients:

200g wild service berries
200ml red wine or claret
60g fine white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
1 batch rich shortcrust pastry

Method:

Roll out the pastry and use to line a 22cm diameter deep pie dish. Line with greaseproof (waxed) paper (typically trimmed to a circle known as cartouche), fill with baking beans or beads then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and blind bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is just dry to the touch (but not coloured). Remove from the oven, take out the paper and baking beans and set aside as you prepare the filling.

Combine the wild service berries, wine and breadcrumbs in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer then continue cooking (covered) for about 40 minutes, or until the fruit has completely broken down and the mixture is thick.

Pass through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing down on the mixture with the back of a spoon. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl then add a ladleful of the hot cherry mixture to temper. Pour the resulting egg mix into the main service berry mix and whisk to combine, adding the butter at this point. Pour this mixture into the blind-baked pastry shell then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180�B0;C and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the custard filling has set.

This can be served either hot or cold.