Thousands of Tarts

In Jane Austen's 'Mansfield Park', Fanny Price the eldest daughter of a mother from a wealthy family who chose to marry for love and live in poverty is at the tender age of 10 sent to live with her mother's wealthy sister and her family. There is a tender scene in the movie version where Fanny and her sister say their goodbyes before she sets off on the journey to her rich relatives. Fanny says to her younger sister, 'Be a good girl and brush your hair - but not all off.' And the golden-haired younger sister replies - 'Eat thousands of tarts.' I love that - it's so sisterly sweet!

Our girls and I love Jane Austen's works - to read or to view! We often adopt lines from her stories to fit our own real life situations. 'Eat thousands of tarts' is one of my favorites - the essence of it - from my point of view is - 'enjoy all the lovely things that there are to see and do and I'll see you again soon.' By the way the l o n g two set, video version of 'Pride and Prejudice' is sort of like an initiation that the girls put their guys through to test their staying power for romance !!!!

These are not tarts in the strictest sense but one of my versions... they look real strawberry-summery to me with the sunny, shiny yellow, pineapple glaze. Especially when they are sat there winking at the Pohutukawa flowers which are totally 'summer' flowers!

Summer Strawberry Tarts

Base -
1 1/2 cups of crushed biscuits
50 gms butter
2 TBLSPNS Honey
1 tsp finely grated orange rind

Crush biscuits until reasonably fine. Melt butter and honey then add orange rind and crushed biscuits. Mix well until all are moistened. Press into paper cupcake case lined muffin tins to make individual tart cases. Set hard in the freezer.

Filling & Glaze -

Fresh, perky strawberries
2 TBLSPNS sugar
1 TBLSPN arrowroot
1 cup of Pineapple juice (I used Charlie's which was yum)

Fill cases the day you want to eat them - pop a strawberry half into each case. Make the following glaze - mix together sugar and arrowroot in a small pot then gradually add the juice - heat slowly on the stove until it bubbles and thickens. Allow to cool (but not set) before pouring a little over each strawberry tart. These are best made the day they are to be eaten as they go a bit soft by the next day. You can make the cases a day or so ahead and keep in the freezer though. Once tarts are made and set - keep refrigerated until serving.