Recipe

To make the creme brûlée mixture, pour the cream into a medium saucepan, add the seeds from the vanilla bean and put over a high heat. Bring to the boil, turn off the heat, cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar well in a large metal bowl.

Bring the milk back to heat, just under the boil, and then pour it into the egg yolk mixture in a slow and stead stream, while continuously whisking. Place the metal bowl with the custard over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the base of the bowl).

Whisk the mixture continuously for 15 minutes, until the custard is smooth and thick. Take the bowl off the heat, and whisk for a minute or two quickly, to cool it down.

Leave the bowl of custard on the bench for an hour, coming back to it every 10 minutes to give it a good whisk.

Then cover the custard with plastic wrap, directly on the custard (to stop a skin from forming) and refrigerate overnight to allow it to set.

To roast the strawberries, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a tray with baking paper.

Toss the strawberries with the sugar and arrange them on the tray cut side up. Roast for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and softened slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the tart pastry, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F) and get out 8 - 10 individual tart shells.

Place the butter, water, oil, sugar and salt in an overproof bowl. Put the bowl in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the butter is melted, bubbling, and just beginning to brown around the edges.

Carefully remove the bowl from the oven and dump in the flour. Stir quickly, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the side of the dish.

Put a tablespoon of dough into one tart shell, and press it into the base and up the sides using your fingers. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Prick the dough with a fork a few times. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown all over. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To assemble the tarts, remove the tart shells carefully from the tins.

Place a piece of roasted strawberry in the base of each tart shell, then top with a few spoonfuls of custard. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the custard flush with the edges of the tart shell.

Just before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of caster sugar, about one - two teaspoons, evenly over the top of each tart and caramelise with a blowtorch. Happy baking!