Barefoot in Paris Strawberry Tarts
Strawberry Tarts
A classic strawberry tart consists of a crisp shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée), a rich pastry cream (crème pâtissière) or cream cheese filling, and fresh strawberries, often finished with a fruit glaze. Barefoot in Paris uses pastry cream, Preppy Kitchen uses cream cheese with whipped cream (which he calls a cream cheese mousse). Both use a shortcut pastry.
Strawberry Tarts
2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons cold shortening (recommended: Crisco)
1/4 cup ice water
2 cups Pastry Cream, recipe follows
2 pints whole strawberries, hulled and halved
1/3 cup apricot jelly
3 tablespoons shelled pistachios, halved, optional
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times, or until the butter is in the size of peas. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out the dough and fit into 4 (4 1/2-inch) tart pans with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pans or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of each pan. Line the tart shells with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill them with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil, prick the bottom of the shells all over with a fork, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
Before serving, fill the tart shells with the pastry cream. Arrange the berries decoratively on top of the cream. Melt the apricot jelly with 1 teaspoon of water and brush the top of the tarts. Sprinkle with pistachios, if using, and serve.
Pastry Cream:
5 extra-large egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups scalded milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Cognac
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.
With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Don't be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes; the custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding. Stir in the vanilla, Cognac, butter, and heavy cream. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.
Yield: 2 cups
4 tarts
Strawberry Tart
from https://preppykitchen.com/
This gorgeous Strawberry Tart looks like it belongs in a pâtisserie window, but is easy to make with just 10 ingredients.
Featuring a tender, buttery crust, a dreamy lemon cream cheese mousse, and plenty of juicy berries, this fresh Strawberry Tart is the perfect dessert for your next gathering.
With a stunning display of strawberry slices, my strawberry fruit tart is a delicious creation that marries the natural sweetness of sun-kissed strawberries with the artistry of French pastry. This dessert is picture-perfect and captures the very essence of spring and summer in one sweet bite– all you need are 10 easy-to-find ingredients that you might already have and a tart pan!
For the Pastry Crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270g)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cubed (113g)
6 tablespoons ice water (90ml)
For the Filling:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (120mL)
2 (8-ounce/226g) blocks cream cheese room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar (66g)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping:
1 pound fresh strawberries hulled and sliced (450g)
1 tablespoon red currant jam or apricot, or strawberry
1/2 teaspoon water
For the Pastry Crust:
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter, and pulse until very crumbly, about 30 seconds.
Drizzle in the ice water, and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly, but sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Roll out the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, and trim off any excess hanging over the sides. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line the crust with a piece of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or pie weights to fill the tart.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are dry and lightly golden brown. Remove pie weights and continue to bake for an additional 5 to 8 minutes until the bottom appears dry and the crust begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the crust cool completely in the pan before removing.
For the Filling:
In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. (No need to clean beaters between the cream and cream cheese.) Add the granulated sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla, beating until smooth, about 1 minute. Gently fold in the whipped cream until combined. Spoon the filling into the cooled crust, spreading it into an even layer.
For the Topping:
Arrange strawberries on top of filling fanning in concentric circles around the center.
In a small bowl, microwave the jam and water until bubbling, about 30 seconds. Brush jam mixture over the sliced strawberries. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to serve.
Due to the fresh fruit and creamy filling, make sure you keep the tart refrigerated until serving. Any leftovers should be kept covered or in an air-tight container and is best enjoyed within 2 days.
8 servings
