The weather here has been unable to decide whether it wants to hold onto summer or move into chilly autumn.
It is officially autumn, and some days have been appropriately cold. So cold that I have to wear extra pairs of socks and sleep with an extra blanket. Rain splatters throughout the night, and evenings are so chilly that I have considered pulling out my winter coat.
And then next second, it’s hot again. The air conditioner is back on, the skirts and dresses come back out of my wardrobe, and it’s perfect ice cream weather (who am I kidding, it’s always perfect ice cream weather).
Today was lovely and warm, so in a last hurrah to the summer that is slowly creeping away, we are eating yummy strawberry and cream tarts.
Made with the sable breton base of my fig brûlée tarts of a few weeks back, they are topped with juicy, sweet strawberries and are held together with delicious creme diplomat (a combination of creme patisserie and whipped cream).
I hope you all have a happy easter! I’ll be baking something appropriately chocolatey on the weekend. If you’re looking for some easter recipes, check out my hot cross bun macarons, chocolate chip hot cross buns or double chocolate chip espresso hot cross buns! X
- FOR THE CREME DIPLOMAT
- 100ml heavy cream
- You'll need a single recipe of pastry cream from the blog (link found below the recipe). Make ahead and chill.
- FOR THE SABLE BRETON
- 80g egg yolks (approx. 4)
- 175g caster sugar
- 160g unsalted butter, softened
- 220g plain flour
- 7g baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- TO FINISH THE TART
- 1 punnet strawberries, hulled and halved
- Icing sugar, to dust
- Preheat the oven to 165 C (320 F).
- Butter and flour 6 individual tart tins (I used bottomless rings).
- Beat the butter with a wooden spoon until creamy. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks on a high speed.
- Add the sugar all at once and beat until pale and creamy.
- Turn the mixer to a low speed and add a quarter of the butter at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition.
- Turn off the mixer. Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture and fold in slowly with a spatula, until just incorporated.
- Bring the dough together with your hands, gently, and divide among the tart cases.
- Press the pastry into the bases and up the sides of the tart cases.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks.
- Stir the pastry cream well to soften, then stir in the whipped cream.
- Use a piping bag fitted with round nozzle to pipe dots of creme diplomat onto the base. Arrange the strawberries over the creme.
- Dust with icing sugar to serve. Makes 6 tarts.
- Happy baking!
Pastry cream recipe adapted from Flour.
Sable breton recipe adapted from Philippa Sibley.