SARAH’S STRAWBERRIES & CREAM TART
From What I Cook When Nobody’s Watching
When it comes to desserts, it’s vibrant seasonal fruit paired with pastry and cream or custard that gets me every time. This is a Jamface favourite that Sarah makes, and it’s the simple layering of strawberry flavour in the compote and cream, then fresh fruit, that makes it the most straightforward kind of delectable.
This pastry is one I swear by because it rarely shrinks and it’s incredibly forgiving. If you split it when lining the tin, simply patch with a small amount of pastry and press to seal the cracked parts together – they will bake out nicely.
Method
To make the pastry, place the sugar, almond meal, flour, salt, orange zest and butter in a food processor and pulse until sandy. Add the egg and pulse until the mixture comes together. Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and squeeze into a 2cm thick disc (the thicker this is, the more rolling later). Wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced. Line just the base of a round 26cm tart tin, with a removable base, with baking paper. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface into a 4mm thick circle and carefully line the prepared tart tin. If it breaks or cracks, don’t worry – simply patch and press together and it will seal on baking.
Using the edge of the tin as a guide, pinch away any excess pastry. Stab all over the base with a fork at 4cm intervals, then pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Blind bake the tart shell for about 20 minutes or until evenly golden.
If the base has bubbled up, immediately use a clean oven mitt to press down gently and release the trapped air while the pastry is hot.
Whisk the extra egg and baste the base and edge of the tart shell generously – do two coats. Leave the tart shell in the tin to cool completely before transferring to a serving plate to fill.
To make the strawberry cream, whisk the cream, sugar and strawberry essence until stiff.
To make the strawberry compote, combine the strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring continuously, for about 1 minute. Blend to a puree, then chill before using.
To assemble the tart, spread enough strawberry cream to fill the tart shell to three-quarters of the height. Arrange the strawberry slices in concentric circles until the cream is covered.
To finish, spoon or pipe the strawberry compote evenly over the top, then decorate with edible flowers and mint leaves, if desired. Serve the tart with the remaining cream and compote.
Notes
This pastry can be rolled out, cut and baked into biscuits. The pastry can be premade and stored as a disc in the freezer for up to 2 months if cling-wrapped and then placed in a sealed ziplock bag.
Blind baking is simply baking a pastry shell on its own before either filling it with fresh ingredients or with raw ingredients that then need further cooking.