A crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry case filled with silky vanilla creme patissiere and topped with rows of fresh glazed strawberries, the most beautiful and elegant tart in the French patisserie tradition.
About This Recipe
The French strawberry tart is one of the most beautiful desserts in the patisserie repertoire and one of the most satisfying to make well. The combination of a crisp, sweet shortcrust case, a smooth and fragrant vanilla creme patissiere, and fresh strawberries arranged in geometric rows and glazed to a glossy shine produces a result that looks professionally made and tastes genuinely excellent in a way that exceeds the sum of its parts.
Creme patissiere is the centrepiece of the tart and the component that most rewards careful preparation. Made from egg yolks, sugar, cornflour, milk, butter, and vanilla, it is cooked until thick and smooth and then chilled until cold and pipeable. The vanilla must be genuine, either a good quality extract or a scraped vanilla pod, because the clean vanilla flavour of the creme is the primary taste beneath the strawberries and a cheap vanilla will make itself obvious in an unpleasant way.
The glazed strawberry top is the visual element that most defines the French tart aesthetic. Fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or left whole depending on size, are arranged over the creme in rows or concentric circles and then brushed with a warm apricot glaze that sets to a glossy, amber coating. The glaze provides both the visual finish and the practical function of preventing the strawberries from drying out and losing their colour over the hours between preparation and serving.
History and Origins
The fruit tart in its current form is a product of the French patisserie tradition that was codified in the 18th and 19th centuries. Creme patissiere as a specific preparation is documented in French cookbooks from the early 18th century. The combination of creme patissiere with fresh seasonal fruit in a pastry case became one of the signature preparations of French patisserie and remains one of the most recognisable French dessert formats worldwide.
Why It Is Good For You
Fresh strawberries provide vitamin C, anthocyanins with antioxidant properties, and ellagitannins that support gut health. A portion of fresh strawberries provides more than the daily recommended vitamin C intake. The egg yolks in the creme patissiere provide choline and vitamin D.
Strawberry Tart
Course: Pie u0026amp; Tart8
servings45
minutes25
minutes2720
kcalIngredients
•tFor pastry: 200g plain flour, 100g cold butter, 50g icing sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 to 2 tbsp ice water
•tFor creme patissiere: 4 egg yolks, 100g sugar, 3 tbsp cornflour, 500ml whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 30g butter
•tFor topping: 500g fresh strawberries hulled, 4 tbsp apricot jam warmed and strained for glaze
Directions
- Make sweet pastry, line a 23cm tart tin, blind bake at 190C for 15 minutes weighted then 5 minutes without. Cool.
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together until pale.
- Heat milk to just below boiling. Pour slowly over yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
- Return to the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and boiling.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Press cling film onto the surface. Chill until cold.
- Beat cold creme until smooth. Spread into pastry case.
- Arrange strawberries over creme. Brush with warm apricot glaze. Serve within 4 hours.
Notes
- Press cling film directly onto the surface of the creme patissiere while it cools to prevent a skin forming.
The creme must be completely cold before spreading into the case. Warm creme melts into the pastry.
Brush the glaze while it is warm and liquid. Cold glaze sets immediately and does not spread evenly.
Serve within 4 hours of assembly. The strawberries release juice and the pastry softens over time.
Make Ahead Tips
The pastry case can be blind baked 24 hours ahead. The creme patissiere keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Assemble the tart no more than 4 hours before serving.
Storage and Serving
Best eaten on the day of assembly. Refrigerate assembled tart for up to 24 hours but the pastry softens and the strawberries lose their freshness. Serve at room temperature. Do not freeze assembled.
Variations and Substitutions
Replace strawberries with raspberries, blueberries, or a mixture of summer berries. Use a chocolate creme patissiere made by adding 80g melted dark chocolate to the finished creme. Add lemon zest to the creme patissiere. Replace apricot glaze with a raspberry coulis drizzled over.
