Strawberry Tart
Intermed..
Strawberry Tart. This beautiful summer dessert is great for wowing guests, yet it comes together so quickly it is no effort at all. It can be made ahead of time, and even easier, you could use store bought shortcrust pastry. For a neat looking finish, try look for strawberries that are all similar sizes.
PREP IN
60 MIN
COOK IN
30 MIN
SERVE
8-10
Strawberry Tart
Intermed..
PREP IN
60 MIN
COOK IN
30 MIN
SERVE
8-10
Introduction
Strawberry Tart. This beautiful summer dessert is great for wowing guests, yet it comes together so quickly it is no effort at all. It can be made ahead of time, and even easier, you could use store bought shortcrust pastry. For a neat looking finish, try look for strawberries that are all simila
READ MORE
Ingredients
- 225g plain flour, sifted
- 25g icing sugar, sifted
- 115g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Ice water, if needed
- 280g full fat cream cheese, softened
- 125ml crème fraîche
- 60g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 400g small strawberries, rinsed, hulled and cut in halves
- 60ml strawberry jam, warmed and passed through a sieve
FOR THE ENRICHED SHORTCRUST PASTRY:
FOR THE FILLING:
Method
- 1. Place all ingredients except the egg (and water) in a bowl or in a food processor. Lightly rub butter into the other ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs, with plenty of pea sized pieces of butter remaining, or if using a food processor, pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- 2. Add the egg and use a fork to mix, then use your hands to lightly bring all the ingredients together. If using a food processor, pulse until ingredients form a ball. If dough is too dry to hold together, add ice-water a teaspoon at a time, until ingredients just hold together. Tip ingredients out onto a floured surface and lightly knead just to bring pastry together. Flatten into a disc shape and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate for between 30mins to an hour.
- 3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- 4. Remove pastry from the fridge and unwrap. On a floured surface, gently roll out pastry so that it's large enough to line a round 20cm or 23cm (8 or 9inch) loose bottomed tart tin, making sure to keep pastry moving so that it doesn't stick and dusting with flour as needed Brush off any excess flour from the surface of the pastry then carefully lift it and lay it in the tart tin. Use the palm of your hand and pads of your fingertips to press the pastry into the tin. Use a fork to prick the surface of the pastry, then chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. Line the pastry with rumpled parchment paper and fill to the top with baking beads or dried beans or rice.
- 5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the baking beads/beans then return to the oven and bake for further 10-15mins, until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack before filling. For the filling, combine all the remaining ingredients except for the strawberries and jam. Mix with a whisk or electric mixer on low until mixture is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- 6. Pour into cooled pastry shell and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the strawberry halves in rings, starting from the outside and working your way in. Brush strawberries with jam. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- 7. To remove tart from the tin, place tart on a small bowl or sturdy jam jar and carefully remove the outer ring of the tin. Gently nudge the tart to see if it is loose from the base, if not, run a sharp knife underneath, then slide tart off onto a serving dish. Keep chilled in the fridge covered with clingfilm. Will keep for 2-3 days.
