french living

my favourite strawberry tart

by Sharon Santoni

The French strawberry season is awaited impatiently here.  Of course we can buy imported strawberries as from February or March, but they are never as good as the local fruit that hasn’t had to spend time  refrigerated.

I adore strawberry tart.  But after trying many different recipes, I always come back to the same one, given to me years ago by a friend.   It has an almond rich pastry, amaretto flavoured creme patissiere, fresh strawberries and a light glaze.  Serving this at a dinner generally provokes a moment of silence, as guests take their first spoonful of the pastry/cream/fruit combination.

Because I don’t like the creme patissiere too firm,  this is not the best behaved tart to slice and serve.  To avoid extra difficulty, I make the cream and the pastry ahead of time then assemble at the last minute.
The pastry is dead easy, just throw the following into a mixer and whizz until  it has formed a round  ball.  Leave in the fridge for a short while, roll out to fit your tart mould, or moulds if you are making individual tarts, then bake blind  at 190 until golden brown.
6 oz or 1 1/2  cups of flour
1 oz or 1/4 cup of ground almonds
3 oz or 1/2 cup sugar
 pinch of salt
3 egg yolks
3 oz or 1/.2 cup butter
To make the creme patissiere you will heat 1 litre of milk in a pan with a split vanilla pod.  While it’s heating mix in a bowl 6 egg yolks, 1/3 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar.  Pour the hot milk over the eggs and sugar mix then pour back into the pan and stir gently until the cream starts to thicken.  Watch this carefully, it doesn’t take long.   Pour back into the bowl and leave to cool.
Once this is cool I beat up some fresh cream until fairly thick and mix the cream into the creme patissiere, along with a good tablespoonful of amaretto liqueur.  Leave in the fridge until ready to assembly the tart.
You only need to make the glaze now.   Simply cook a small handful of strawberries in a pan with orange juice and sugar to taste.  When thoroughly cooked press through a sieve and mix in 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatine.

To assemble your tart, or tarts,  remove the pastry case from the tart mould (this isn’t obligatory but it looks so much prettier), cover the pastry base with the cream then carefully lay the strawberries all over in neat circles.  If the strawberries are enormous you may want to cut them in half.

Pour the glaze over the strawberries and smile graciously as you bring the tart to the table amidst applause from a deliriously happy crowd!

 

photo via Pinterest

17 comments

Linda May 16, 2014 - 8:21 am

Looks wonderful!!! I hate to cook but I am going to try this!!!

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Justine May 16, 2014 - 9:47 am

The tart looks so delicious that I’ll make it:) Thanx for the recipe:)
Have a lovely weekend:)

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Vicky from Athens May 16, 2014 - 11:23 am

This looks so delicious! I’ll definitely give it a try. In the year that I’ve been following your blog I’ve tried several of your recipes and my husband and I have loved them all.
Thanks for sharing!

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Nancy May 16, 2014 - 3:02 pm

You are amazing! You make the most delightful yummy desserts (and other goodies).
The picture is delightful….
Thanks!
Nancy

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Jennifer May 16, 2014 - 3:03 pm

This sounds delicious! I think I’ll opt for the individual tarts, so they serve as prettily as yours. Thanks for sharing. Nothing is ever tastes quite as wonderful, as fresh from the grower!

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Peggy Braswell May 16, 2014 - 3:48 pm

will make this + looks so great. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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Marie Ballon May 16, 2014 - 3:59 pm

I’ve not been cooking for a long time (children living far away, husband and I going to restaurants A LOT) .But now… I’ll do a salad, your husband’s daube AND the little pastries from above. Wish me luck and thank you so much. Marie

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Botanic Bleu May 16, 2014 - 4:59 pm

Sharon,
Tarte au fraise is my favorite dessert in all of France. Whenever I travel there, I am on the lookout for my first tarte and sample them all over the country as often as possible. Sometimes I get one “to go” from a patisserie to eat on the plane on the way home. I am “pinning” your recipe to try here at home. Of course, the one thing that makes all the difference is the strawberry. The burst-with-flavor strawberries grown in France indeed are what makes the tartes so absolutely delicious.

Thank you for sharing your recipe.

Judith

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Rhea Condra May 16, 2014 - 7:07 pm

You are indeed a talanted woman! Your blog is one of my favorites and you never disappoint! I love your flower arranging, your brocante collection and your recipes, not to mention your fabulous photos.My husband is a talanted home pastry chef and his strawberry tart is exactly like yours. We live in an area in the southern US that grows wonderful strawberries in May and early June and I love serving his tart to company and family. You are correct, it never fails us. I cannot wait to show him your recipe and pictures…he will appreciate your efforts.
Thank you for enriching my reading and knowledge,
Rhea Condra

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Colleen Taylor May 16, 2014 - 9:11 pm

Oh my Sharon, I’m about to drool at this delicious looking tart! A must try & thank you for the recipe. X

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Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon May 17, 2014 - 12:34 am

I am pinning this. I love all your recipes. I love how you do the research and present us with superb recipes. Thanks.

Madonna

Oh, and your photo are magazine worthy.

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Emm May 17, 2014 - 12:53 am

This sounds delicious, and I’ve saving it to my “to try” file.

I like that you always include the most important part of cooking something special: “smile graciously as you bring the tart to the table amidst applause from a deliriously happy crowd!”

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denise@magnoliaveranda May 17, 2014 - 3:27 am

I so love individual desserts and this one might have to become one of my favourites too.

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Lynnette Punjak-Williams May 17, 2014 - 6:50 am

it looks and sounds just delicious. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.

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Jjt363 May 17, 2014 - 9:03 pm

Mmm …sounds delish, will definitely try. Just one question, what sort of cream do you whip up, creme fraiche? I haven’t found any double cream equivalent here in France and never had any success with the powder you can add to thicken pouring cream.

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Dorka July 18, 2014 - 5:54 am

Since th strawberry season is over here, now I make this miracle with peaches. It makes the same enthusiams with the guests.I pick the fruits in
my own garden.
Love from the glowing hot Plain in Hungary Dorka http://www.dorottyaudvar.co.hu

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DK November 1, 2021 - 10:42 am

Wonderful ‘heart-attack’, vessel clogging, trans fat rich cakes. I am sure they taste great.

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