Strawberries and Cream Tart

Picture a tender shortbread crust with just the right amount of sweetness as the base to a wonderful fresh strawberry tart with a creamy vanilla tinged custard. Well, here you have it.

I'm pretty sure you all knew I wouldn't live on cereal for long while the Big Guy's away and as I figure it, you must have also known that a sweet treat would be one of the first things on my list to make. There's not much better than this, particularly since our local market is loaded with fresh strawberries at the present time.

The crust is a simple combination of flour, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla that's pressed into the bottom of a tart pan and baked until a light golden color. Topped with a couple of cups of sliced strawberries, the whole thing's covered in a creamy custard made from tart vanilla flavored yogurt, sugar and eggs. Poured over the berries, it becomes the base that holds the whole thing together. Sprinkled with some of the same shortbread crumbs, it comes out of the oven begging to be eaten, but wait for a while till it cools a bit first. It'll seem like an eternity, but believe me it'll serve much better when it's barely warm or refrigerate it and serve it iced cold. It's pretty darn delicious that way too.

Give this tart a try and I'm almost one hundred percent positive you won't be sorry you did. Try the same recipe using other fresh berries as they come in season like blackberries, blueberries or even cherries, or how about making it with fresh peaches or apricots too. Consider using some of the rhubarb from your garden, if you're so lucky to have it - what I'm trying to say in such a round about way is that it's fabulous with almost any fruit you can think of and then some! 

You can thank me later. I'm kinda' busy chowing down on a slice right now with my morning coffee. 

Strawberries and Cream Tart (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

This is an old fashioned recipe from my Mother’s repertoire except that she used heavy cream rather than yogurt and rhubarb instead of strawberries. In fact, it’s how she most often made a double crust rhubarb pie, so I just kicked it up a notch by making a shortbread crust and changing a few ingredients. I think she would have loved the result.

Crust:

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup cold butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, sugar and salt together in a medium sized bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in vanilla. Reserving 1 cup, press the rest of the crumbs into onto the bottom and sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is barely golden in color. Cool on wire rack.

Filling:

2 eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup vanilla yogurt

2 tablespoons milk or half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

16 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

In a small bowl, beat together eggs and sugar. Whisk in yogurt, milk and vanilla. Arrange berries evenly onto bottom of cooled crust. Pour custard over top and sprinkle with reserved shortbread crumbs. Bake in 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes until custard is set and crumbs are golden. Cool to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

A year ago - Oregon Trail Barbecued Lamb 

Two year's ago - Whoopie Pies

Comments

[Lea]

yummmmmm - a pie I would like! good for you to treat yourself right while the big guy is in the big canyon!

[June]

I'm so good to me, aren't I? I'm missing that Big Guy and I'm hoping he's having fun.

[Lorraine]

The big guy is probably wishing he was home just about now eating your lovely strawberry tart instead of hiking his way out of the canyon.

[June]

Lorraine - I bet he's wishing he was just about anywhere else right now LOL. I can't imagine going UP 8,200 feet with a monster pack on your back.

[Tom]

I must say it again, the big guy is one lucky fellow! ;-)

[June]

You're a sweetheart Tom, although in this case, I was the lucky one. Big Guy was out of town so missed out on ALL of this. I enjoyed every crumb. LOL