It’s weird weather here, not cold but grey. Not what I want. At least have the decency to be frosty and snowy January, don’t leave us in this infernal drizzle that plays havoc for us naturally curly haired folk.
My mind, as it usually does in January / February, is straying to warmer climates. I want to get better at living in the moment, taking in the here and now but I love a plan, I love something to look forward to. We’ve been checking out routes across France and Switzerland to get to Italy on a camper van road trip later in the year. Seems like a bit of a daydream but that’s how the best plans are hatched – from far-fetched daydreams.
So Italy is on my mind and when that happens the food is never far behind.
This dessert required the very last of the summer blackberries, resurrected from the darkest recess of the freezer. I made it for New Years Eve and we polished the rest off on New Years Day. We spent a great part of the holidays this year cooking vast amounts of food and carting it all over the place. Hard work, but good to turn up with a three course meal to hand, just incase anyone hasn’t eaten in the last 12 minutes or so.
This beautiful tart is made with vanilla and mascarpone. Using up all the mascarpone I also made a frozen tiramisu because you can’t just have one pudding at New Year can you? It’s a recipe from Jamie’s Italy which always works and always goes down well. It felt right to use up the last of the summer fruit too for a celebration of the past year and the approaching of a brand new one.
My camera packed up over Christmas so apologies for the ropey phone shots.
You can find the recipe here on Mr Oliver’s site. The shortcrust is a triumph in itself, sweet and flavoured with the zest of a lemon. It’s my go-to shortcrust recipe as pastry and I have a difficult relationship – but this one likes me, it’s easy to work with and tastes divine; sweet and buttery.
The mascarpone is flavoured with vin santo or grappa; I omitted the booze this time to make it child-friendly but it’s better with to be honest. Still it’s creamy and delicate with a sharp tang of the blackberries sweetened with a syrup made from blackberry jam.
Shall we make the road trip on these?
Looks lovely – it’s always good to have a tried and tested reliable pastry recipe, too. We’re camper van road tripping to the south of France this summer – do you have a van? have we had this conversation before? very exciting!!
So exciting isn’t it?! No, we don’t have a caper van BUT my lovely in-laws do and they are happy to let it go on an Italian adventure! We are plotting and planning routes – I hope it comes off…
I like the idea of a caper van! X
Me too, I saw that typo earlier and liked it. Sounds fun, or vinegary, depends what kind of capers you have in the van I suppose.. x
Whatever you do, just make sure you don’t end up on the road we did crossing from Germany to Italy last year… I don’t think I will ever forget it
The torta looks and sounds delicious! 
Ohhh tell me more!
Let’s just say we ended up on one of the most dangerous roads in the world (we found out later!) – the Splugen pass. I still have nightmares about it!
Oh my! *makes mental note to do massive diversion around the Splugen Pass