Strawberries & Cream Tart

Winter strawberries are here!

I am so lucky to live in Brisbane where it is warm enough to have a winter crop of strawberries. This pretty tart perfectly showcases the lovely ripe strawberries at their best. It’s not an overly sweet or fussy dessert and allows the strawberries to really shine.

This tart can be made ahead of time and keeps very well in the fridge. It won’t last long though!

What is your favourite strawberry dessert?

Strawberries & Cream Tart

Rich Sweet Shortcrust Pastry from Ripailles
This recipe yields enough dough to makes 2 x 20cm (8-inch) tarts. I used one for the strawberries and cream tart and placed the second uncooked one in the freezer.

125g softened butter
50g almond meal
70g caster sugar
250g plain flour
1 egg, lightly beaten

to glaze (optional)
beaten egg

Mix together the butter, almond meal and sugar until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the flour; mix. Add the beaten egg and mix until smooth (add some extra water if necessary). Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge.

Lightly grease two loose-bottom tart dishes. Halve the dough. Roll out one portion of the pastry and line the tart dish. Repeat with the remaining dough. I find it is easiest to roll out pastry in between two pieces of baking paper rather than on a floured bench. The pastry stays moist and the baking paper makes it easier to handle when placing in the dish. The baking paper will be used again during the baking stage so it’s not that wasteful.

Place the lined tart dishes in the fridge and chill again for at least 30 minutes.

When you are ready to bake, take the pastry out of the fridge and pierce the base all over with a fork. Line it with a piece of the baking paper you used earlier and fill with baking beans. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes; then remove the beans and baking paper and cook until the base is golden brown (about another 10 minutes).

A great chef tip is to glaze the pastry case. This prevents the pastry from going soggy once it is filled. Once the pastry case is cooked, brush over some beaten egg over the entire inside (base and sides) of the case. Place it back in the oven until the egg glaze is cooked. It only takes a few minutes. The pastry will look a beautiful golden brown colour!

Blind baked and glazed pastry case

Filling
Macerated Strawberries
1 x 250g punnet strawberries
2 or 3 tblsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla

150ml pure cream, whipped

To decorate
1.5 punnets strawberries, hulled
icing sugar
2 tblsp flaked almonds, toasted

Slice the strawberries and place in a bowl with the sugar and vanilla for 15 minutes or so. While you are waiting, prepare the remaining elements: whip the cream, hull strawberries and toast the almonds.

To assemble, place the macerated strawberries in the pastry case, smooth cream over the top, place hulled strawberries on top, sprinkle over icing sugar and scatter toasted almonds over.