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Best Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream Recipe in 40 Minutes

Strawberry fruit tarts are the perfect dessert for summer season, when we can find these flavored fruits everywhere. Their aroma is too good to be true. If you ask me, you can never have enough strawberries. And that combination with vanilla pastry cream? Out of this world!
Prep Time50 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Pastry Cream, Strawberry Pastry Cream, Strawberry Tart
Servings: 8 peoples
Calories: 201kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 3.35 oz. cold butter
  • 2 cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tbsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 pcs egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp grated lemon zest

For the Pastry Cream

  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 pcs egg yolks
  • 2 cups + 1 tbsp milk
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

For Decoration

  • 2 cups strawberry slices
  • Mint leaves

Instructions

To Prepare the Crust

  • To prepare the crust, combine the butter, flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Process until the dough starts to resemble a coarse sand. You may also do that with your fingertips.
  • Take everything out of the food processor and place in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and break the egg. Sprinkle the sugar and mix again using your fingertips. Be careful not to overmix.
    Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream Recipe
  • Bring the dough together by flattening it with your hands. Roll it into a ball. Cover with cling film and take it to the fridge for half an hour.
    Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream Recipe
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9’’ tart pan. It would be recommended to have removable bottom. The other option you can go for consists of 6 4’’ tartlet molds.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge. Use a rolling pin and flatten the dough without previously removing the cling film. After you get a large disk, about ¼ ‘’ thick, remove the foil. Transfer the dough to the pan. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the pastry shell.
  • If you prepare tartlets, lightly flour your work surface. Divide the dough into six equal parts. Work with only one piece at a time. Sprinkle some flour on top. Use the rolling pin to flatten to a disk of ¼ ‘’ thick and about ½ ‘’ larger than the tartlet mold. Carefully take the dough and place it in the tartlet pan. Press it gently against the sides and bottom using your hands. Get a sharp knife and trim the ends that hang over the edge of the mold. Repeat this process with the remaining dough pieces. Prick holes on the bottom with a fork.
  • In both cases (for the big tart or tartlets), bake for about 20 minutes. Let it chill for a few minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Prepare the Pastry Cream

  • Place the egg yolks, sugar, grated lemon zest and whisk them together.
  • Add the flour and some milk (only a couple of tablespoons). Continue to whisk until well combined.
  • Pour the remaining milk in a saucepan. Add the vanilla extract and zest. Heat just until you bring the milk to a simmer. Use a strainer to remove the lemon zest.
  • Begin whisking and add milk to the egg mixture in a thin stream. Take everything back to the saucepan.
  • Set to medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until the cream becomes thick and rich.
  • Cover with a cling film and press the foil directly onto the surface of the cream. This will prevent the forming of a crust on top of the strawberry tartlet filling.
  • Transfer the cream to the fridge and refrigerate until completely cold.
  • When you want to assemble the tart, take the pastry cream out of the refrigerator and whisk well. Spread the strawberry tartlet filling in an even layer. Do the same if you prepared the strawberry tart recipe.
  • Decorate and serve immediately.

Notes

There are plenty of ways to decorate your tart. Try one of the following:
  • One way to prepare the décor is to cut the strawberries in thin slices lengthwise. This will take you some time. Arrange the strawberry slices starting from the edges of the tart and continuing to work your way to the center and place them in a circular pattern.
  • Another messier way to decorate is to cut the berries into round slices and place them one on top of another, all over the tart.
  • You may also try cutting the strawberries in halves lengthwise and decorate only half of the tart, adding some mint leaves on the other half.
  • You can even leave the strawberries whole, place them close to one another and glaze them with some sugar syrup.
  • Or you may create an outside circle out of strawberry slices and make a small flour in the middle by overlapping other slices.
  • If you made tartlets, it could be a good idea to decorate each one in a different way so you will decide which one you like the best.
  • The only thing standing in your way of preparing a fabulous tart is the will of using your imagination. Close your eyes and picture how the perfect tart would look for you. After you have seen every tiny detail, open your eyes, return to reality and get to work.
As I told you in the beginning, even if you are a rookie in the kitchen, you can prepare the strawberry tart recipe. I understand if you are feeling a little bit nervous, I was too when I first cooked this tart. But I desperately wanted to make it so I took my time and read the recipe instructions several times. I looked over more than one recipe, trying to understand exactly what I had to do.
With a lot of patience and a bit of work, the result blew my mind. Try to enjoy the whole process, not only a slice of strawberry tart!

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.2g | Protein: 8.4g | Fat: 4.3g