I love preparing desserts. There’s something so methodical about the process of baking that I find very soothing. Planning, measuring, creaming, layering, decorating… and beautiful vibrant colors to inspire me! I certainly love cooking as well, but I don’t find it nearly as relaxing. I feel as though I achieve almost a meditative state of focus and calm while baking, even when the dough misbehaves or an ingredient responds in an unexpected way. This is why I also like more complex desserts. Maybe that sounds backwards, but allow me to explain. At first glance, a recipe such as the one below might appear time consuming and overwhelming. But it’s actually just two smaller recipes prepared back to back. Most of the steps are relatively simple and you can work in phases. When a recipe takes 4-5 hours, it can usually be broken down into 2 days. This is especially true with tarts. The dough almost always requires several chill/rest periods. And for a no-bake tart such as this one, the cooked shell also needs to cool completely before adding the filling. You can certainly do this in one day, but I find separating the days to be more enjoyable.
If you’ve never made a tart before, rolling and distributing the dough can take a bit of practice. Don’t let it worry you, though. Anyone can do it! I recommend watching a few YouTube video tutorials that demonstrate technique. And then just go for it. You can practice multiple times with the dough before baking it. This dough is especially forgiving. Just allow it to rest and chill between attempts. It’s much easier to work with cold dough. Feel free to contact me with any questions!
This strawberries and cream tart is spectacular. The filling is reminiscent of panna cotta and the sweet cream flavor is perfect with strawberries. The dough, Pate Sucree, tastes like a cookie. Since strawberries are in season right now I didn’t feel the need to glaze them, but if you make this in the off season, brushing some melted apricot jam on top will give the tart a beautiful shine and add flavor.
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