Nici Wickes: Berrylicious Tarts

These creamy tarts topped with sweet and tart berries will delight you and the subtle kick of pepper in the crust goes beautifully with the berries!
 Makes 4x10cm tarts
CRUST
150g biscuits – either gingernuts, roundwine, digestive or similar
70g butter, melted
Pinch each cinnamon and black pepper
FILLING
150mls cream, soft whipped
200g mascarpone
3 heaped tbsps icing sugar 
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or scrape seeds from a vanilla pod)
 Topping: 250g fresh berries – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or later in the summer use blackberries or boysenberries
 Crush biscuits (in a food processor or in a strong plastic bag with a rolling pin!), mix with cinnamon and black pepper and melted butter. Press this mixture firmly into loose bottom tart tins (or one large). Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.

Beat together partially whipped cream, mascarpone, sugar, zest and vanilla and beat until combined and smooth. Taste and sweeten with more sugar if you prefer.
Fill tart shells and decorate by pressing berries into the cream.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.