Tarts and crumbles make sweet ends to any meal, writes Grant Allen.
I must be New Zealand's worst baker. I simply cannot get a decent muffin or scone out of the oven. Baking cakes and slices? Sorry, I pass that on to those who can.
Successful sweet food depends on the fine art of precise measurement and timing - I'm always trying to do too many things at once, resulting in many culinary crashes in this branch of kitchen science.
My usual solution for dessert at home (apart from asking someone else to make it) is a tart or flan of some kind. I can do pastry and have found this cream cheese recipe to be a winner. It is soft to work but if you rest it between handling, it is not too hard to manage. As it has no sugar content it cooks to a crumbly texture and can be used for sweet and savoury bases.
Cream Cheese Pastry
