There are fruits traditionally associated with the island and some are quite unique. The warm climate and sunshine nearly every day of the year enhances the sweetness and flavour of our fruit. 
Bambinella comes from the Rose family, is still in season. These mini bite-size fruits with a texture and flavour similar to large Asian pears seem to be sweeter now as they approach the end of their season.

Bambinella in a pinenut crust with yoghurt cream

I use bambinella in these recipes, as the last bit of warm weather holds and we can enjoy the last crop. The fruit is left in its natural state and arranged on a yoghurt cream adapted from one of Prue Leith’s most classic recipes, where equal quantities of cream and yoghurt are beaten together and topped with muscovado sugar. This cream sits on a pinenut crust made with freshly pressed olive oil.
It is like having fruit and yoghurt with a healthy biscuit, yet it has the appearance of what we associate with 'naughty' rather than healthy!

For the pine crust you will need:
500g flour
200 ml olive oil (You can also use 100ml olive oil and 100g butter for a less biscuity pastry and if you are looking for a very ‘short’ and rich pastry, substitute the fats with up to 400g butter)
2 level spoons sugar or use Stevia equivalent
Pinch of salt
Few drops freshly squeezed lemon
Cold water
1 egg
30g pine nuts

Sift the flour. Rub the fats into the flour using your finger tips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar or equivalent and a pinch of salt.
Add the eggs, mix in and then add the lemon juice.
Add cold water, a spoonful at a time until the dough comes together and is the right consistency.
Leave in the fridge for half an hour.
Open out on a floured surface using a rolling pin.
Prepare your tart dish, very sparsely buttered. Lay the pastry on top of it and bake blind for 15 minites at 180C.

For the yoghurt cream you will need:
125 ml double cream whipped up until stiff
125ml Plain Yoghurt
Grated zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon muscavado sugar or honey or equivalent quantity of Stevia
A few drops good vanilla extract

Whip up the double cream.
Add the yoghurt, sugar (or honey/stevia depending what you are using) and finally the vanilla and mix gently until consistent. Refrigerate for an hour.
Spoon onto the cooled down pie crust.

Assembling the tart with bambinella and pine nuts:
Depending on the size of your tin, 6 to 10 bambinella fruit, cut in half. Seeds scooped out.
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
A sprinkle of icing sugar, I use Bianca Neve which does not melt even after refrigeration.
Dip the fruit in cold water with a few drops of lime or lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Drain.
Arrange the scooped out bambinella fruit on the tart
Sprinkle some toasted pine nuts.
Very sparsely dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Baking blind 
A quick hint that will save you lots of time ! and give you better results … I always wondered why they rarely tell you this in recipe books !
A quick method to bake blind is to cover the pie dish with pastry, trim it and pierce it neatly all over with a fork. Rest the crust by placing your tart dish in the fridge or freezer for at least half an hour before baking to avoid shrinkage. Bake the crust as it is in a moderate oven without having to cover with baking paper or using beans or weights.
This will save you a lot of time and the result is a crispier pastry without any sogginess in the centre. Leave to cool down before filling.
Let us know your results and any questions, please ask!

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