Celebrate Canada’s Day with this elegant strawberry tart. A showstopper that will definitely impress your guests. The vibrant red and white strawberry slices exemplifies the country’s official colours. Once you prepare this tart, you will feel like an accomplished “Pastry Chef”. The crust and pastry cream can be made ahead while assembling can be done just before serving.
During the summer months, there is an abundance of strawberries at the supermarkets or you may have extras after a visit from the strawberry farm. A great way to utilize excess strawberries is to create this impressive beauty.
During the summer months, there is an abundance of strawberries at the supermarkets or you may have extras after a visit from the strawberry farm. A great way to utilize excess strawberries is to create this impressive beauty.
Strawberry Tart
(Serves 8)
Pastry Cream
(Makes 2 cups)
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon white flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
Method:
Beat egg yolks with sugar in a bowl. Keep aside.
In a saucepan, add the milk, cornflour, white flour and salt, combine with a whisk. Place saucepan on medium heat and stir continuously till thick and bubbly.
Add some of the above hot mixture (not all) to the beaten egg yolks. While pouring, ensure to vigorously beat the yolks or else they will start to cook. The temperature of the egg yolks will raise to that of the hot mixture. Now, pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan along with vanilla extract.
Place the saucepan back on the stove and bring to a boil. Shut off flame and through a sieve, strain the pastry cream into a bowl. Cover the surface of the cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on top of the cream. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
Pastry
(Makes 1 Tart Crust)
You will require a 9" tart pan with removable bottom.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cold butter
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Method:
In a bowl, add flour and butter. With a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and using a fork, moisten the dough. Then use your fingers to gently form a ball. Cover dough with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more until easy to roll.
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12” circle to fit a 9” tart or quiche pan with removable bottom. With the help of a rolling pin, transfer the rolled pastry into the tart tin. Press pastry along the sides and trim edges. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 20 minutes until pastry is firm. Remove the tart tin from the oven. Now, take out the pie weights and parchment paper. Place tart tin back in the oven and continue to bake till pastry is golden, around 5 to 10 minutes. Leave pastry shell to cool at room temperature.
Assembling
Ingredients:
20 to 25 large strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry or apple jam
Method:
Wash, dry strawberries and cut into thin slices.
In the cool pie crust, gently add the chilled pastry cream. Place strawberry slices over the pastry cream using the biggest strawberry slices all around the edge and working your way towards the centre.
Heat jam in the microwave. Brush strawberry slices with jam for a beautiful glaze. Chill tart or serve right away.
Note:
(Serves 8)
Pastry Cream
(Makes 2 cups)
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon white flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
Method:
Beat egg yolks with sugar in a bowl. Keep aside.
In a saucepan, add the milk, cornflour, white flour and salt, combine with a whisk. Place saucepan on medium heat and stir continuously till thick and bubbly.
Add some of the above hot mixture (not all) to the beaten egg yolks. While pouring, ensure to vigorously beat the yolks or else they will start to cook. The temperature of the egg yolks will raise to that of the hot mixture. Now, pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan along with vanilla extract.
Place the saucepan back on the stove and bring to a boil. Shut off flame and through a sieve, strain the pastry cream into a bowl. Cover the surface of the cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on top of the cream. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
Pastry
(Makes 1 Tart Crust)
You will require a 9" tart pan with removable bottom.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cold butter
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Method:
In a bowl, add flour and butter. With a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and using a fork, moisten the dough. Then use your fingers to gently form a ball. Cover dough with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more until easy to roll.
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12” circle to fit a 9” tart or quiche pan with removable bottom. With the help of a rolling pin, transfer the rolled pastry into the tart tin. Press pastry along the sides and trim edges. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 20 minutes until pastry is firm. Remove the tart tin from the oven. Now, take out the pie weights and parchment paper. Place tart tin back in the oven and continue to bake till pastry is golden, around 5 to 10 minutes. Leave pastry shell to cool at room temperature.
Assembling
Ingredients:
20 to 25 large strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry or apple jam
Method:
Wash, dry strawberries and cut into thin slices.
In the cool pie crust, gently add the chilled pastry cream. Place strawberry slices over the pastry cream using the biggest strawberry slices all around the edge and working your way towards the centre.
Heat jam in the microwave. Brush strawberry slices with jam for a beautiful glaze. Chill tart or serve right away.
Note:
- For crust, if you are using shortening instead of butter, then add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Pastry cream is basically a thick creamy custard made with egg yolks, flour, milk or cream.