Gin Red berry Tart

For me nothing says summer more than the start of the Scottish berry season. You can smell this amazing fruit the second you walk through the door of that super market.  

Scotland’s soft fruit production has seedily gone up over the years doubling production in the last 10 years, mostly due to improved technology and the use of poly-tunnels. 

Scotland’s soft fruit are very sweet, the more temperate climate in Scotland allows the berries to have longer daylight hours (up to 17 hours in June, July and August) but without the same levels of heat. This allows the berries to ripen slower so they produce more sugar and you get a sweeter berry. Scottish producers produce more than 2900 tonnes of raspberries and 25,000 tonnes of strawberries per year, it is a hugely important crop for the Scottish economy.  

Gin has been made in Scotland for over 300 years and we produce some of the best known brands Gin in the world and in recent years there has been a dramatic increase in Gin and it has been the driving force of a great deal of new distilleries all over the country.    

This is a recipe I developed during the lock downs of 2020 and did it for the first time live in front of hundreds or people via Facebook. It worked a treat; this tart is best made in the summer months when the fruit is at its peak.   

Ingredients: 

• 150g / 5 oz Shortbread 
• 100g / 3 ½ oz Quality Chocolate 
• 400ml / 1 ¾ cup Elderflower Presse 
• 100ml / 3 ½ fl oz Gin, your choice 
• 150g / 5 oz Strawberries 
• 150g / 5 oz Raspberries 
• 150g / 5 oz Blueberries  
• 8 x 11cm sheets / 4 1/3 inch Gelatine 

Method: 

1. The first job is to bloom the gelatine, do this by placing the gelatine into ice water to soften, use a bowl big enough that you can submerge the sheets whole do not break them up.  
2. Next in a bowl over simmering water melt your chocolate, be careful not to overheat or get any water into the chocolate.  
3. Crush your short bread in a separate bowl then add the melted chocolate.  
4. Line a 20 cm/ 8 inch tart case with parchment paper. 
5. Press the shortbread and chocolate mix on top of the paper covered tart case and place into the fridge to set. 
6. Next measure 100ml, 3 ½ fl oz of the elderflower presse into a small pot, bring to the boil. 
7. Remove the gelatine from the ice water making sure you squeeze out the water, add the gelatine to the warm presse. 
8. Stir the gelatine until melted, then add the remaining 300g (10 fl oz) of presse and the 100g (3 ½ fl oz) of gin.  
9. Next fill the tartlet case with the fresh fruit making sure you have a nice balance of different colours. 
10. Carefully pour over the elderflower and the gin mixture. 
11. Place in the fridge until set.     

This recipe will work just as well with veggie gelatine