Mazurek Easter Tart

Method

1. 01

   Step 1: Rub in the butter

   Work the cold butter into the flour, icing sugar and salt to a fine crumb, quickly, by hand or with a knife. The butter must stay cold: melted butter gives rubbery pastry instead of crumbly.

2. 02

   Step 2: Bring the dough together

   Add the yolks and zest and gather everything into a ball in a few movements. Shortcrust must not be kneaded — the longer it is handled, the more gluten develops.

3. 03

   Step 3: Chill for an hour

   Flatten the dough into a rectangle, wrap it and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Cold dough does not shrink in the oven and keeps its border upright.

4. 04

   Step 4: Shape the base

   Roll the dough out on baking paper into a 20×30 cm rectangle about 7 mm thick. Roll the trimmings into a rope and press it around the edge as a 1.5 cm border, marking it with a fork.

5. 05

   Step 5: Prick and bake

   Prick the base all over and bake at 180 °C for 25–30 minutes until evenly golden. It has to be fully baked now: once topped, it never goes back into the oven.

6. 06

   Step 6: Cool completely

   Let the base cool to room temperature on its paper. Spread on a warm base, dulce de leche runs and soaks straight into the pastry.

7. 07

   Step 7: Spread and decorate

   Spread the dulce de leche evenly, lay the almonds, apricots, cranberries and walnuts in parallel stripes and zigzag the melted chocolate over the top. Cut with a sharp knife along the stripes.