Whether you’re wanting to whip up something impressive for a picnic in the garden, in need of something to bring along to your friend’s BBQ, or looking to keep the kids entertained – these ideas might just come in useful.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
7 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten

For the crème pâtissière:
2/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/3 cup heavy cream

For the topping:
1 lb raspberries
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F/350F Fan.

2. To make the pastry, put the flour, confectioner's sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (or combine by hand in a bowl). Add the egg and blend (or mix with a wooden spoon) until it is just combined and forms a ball.

3. Dust a work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it. Roll the pastry out with a rolling pin. Cut it into eight rounds a little bigger than your tartlet tins. Line each tin with a disc of pastry and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

4. Blind bake the pastry: gently prick the pastry bases, then line the insides of the tins with baking parchment. Fill with baking beans and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the beans and parchment and return the bases to the oven for 5 minutes, until cooked and a pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool.

5. Meanwhile, to make the crème pâtissière, put the milk and vanilla in a saucepan. Heat until it’s very hot, but not boiling into a froth.

6. Put the sugar, flour and egg in a mixing bowl and whisk. Pour in half the hot milk and whisk again until smooth. Add the remaining hot milk and stir through. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and simmer over a low heat, stirring all the time, until very thick – this may take about two–three minutes.

7. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge. Once cold, add the double cream, while whisking continuously. Spoon the crème pâtissière into the tart cases and chill in the fridge.

8. Arrange the raspberries standing upright on the crème pâtissière and dust with a little confectioner's sugar just before serving.

Ingredients:
8 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1 scant tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp white wine vinegar
3 cups whipping cream, whipped
1 1/2lbs berries (we like to use strawberries, raspberries and cherries)
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/325F Fan.

2. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they're holding firm peaks but are not stiff. Gently add in the sugar, spoonful after spoonful, still beating, until your mixture is airy and shiny. Sprinkle the cornflour, a few drops of vanilla and the vinegar on top, and fold in to combine.

3. Draw six circles, approximately 4 inches in diameter (using a pint glass as a guide if this helps), on the baking parchment lining your baking sheets.

4. Spoon the meringue onto the baking parchment into the circles and spread to fill. You’ll need to make the meringue slightly higher at the rims, or just use the back of the spoon to make an indentation in the center to hold the cream and fruit later.

5. Put into the oven, turn it down to 300ºF/275ºF Fan, and bake for 30 minutes. After this, turn the oven off but leave the meringues in for another 30 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks so they can fully cool.

6. When you’re ready to assemble the mini pavlovas, dollop cream into the indentation, and smooth it with the back of a spoon. Top with fruit, so that they look well filled but not crammed.

7. Dust with confectioner's sugar to finish.