Strawberry and caramel tart

When I was in Paris I was inspired by fresh and simple desserts that are full of flavor. The days are getting hot and this dessert is very refreshing and perfect for long summer days. The recipe is from a French pastry chef Christophe Adam and you can find the original here.

The base of the dessert forms a French crust called "Sable Breton". It's basically a shortbread crust that can be eaten as a biscuit and also as a tart crust. It has a buttery/crumbly texture and goes well with fruit. I especially liked the combination of buckwheat flour and all-purpose flour. The buckwheat gives a special note to the crust and really enhances the strawberry flavor. When baked, the edges of the crust rise slightly and they form a nice barrier for different fillings.

The filling is a caramel cream with mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone and strawberries are a perfect match and the caramel is a cherry on top. The cream is set with gelatin for a thicker consistency. The cream must be set before putting on the strawberries to prevent the strawberries from sinking in the cream. I had some issues with this cream, the first time I made it it was too runny. I substituted powdered gelatin, in the original recipe, for leaf gelatin and it worked out better. The cream was nice and set and the berries stood in place.

This dessert is simple to make, the only more difficult part is making the caramel, because the sugar can sometimes crystallize. As long as you don't stir the caramel too much it should be good.
For the perfect presentation, sprinkle crushed pistachios at the edges of the crust for a nice color contrast.
Cut and layer the strawberries or you can substitute strawberries with raspberries and place them on whole. Either way, the dessert looks stunning and it's a real crowd pleaser.

Strawberry and caramel tart

(One 20x20cm)

  

Time:

Preparation: 30min

Cooking: 20min

Baking: 25min

Setting: 1 hour

For the Sable shortbread:

• 100g softened butter
• 100g white granulated sugar
• 3 room temperature egg yolks
• 80g all-purpose flour
• 60g buckwheat flour
• 8g baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 10g orange peel

For the caramel cream:

• 90g white granulated sugar
• 56g butter
• 115g heavy cream
• 2 gelatin leafs
• 175g mascarpone cheese
• a pinch of salt

For the assembly:

• 30 fresh strawberries or raspberries
• 50g crushed pistachios
• orange zest (optional)
• tempered chocolate (optional)

Making the caramel cream:

Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water and set aside.

Put the granulated sugar in a sauce pan and place on medium heat. Shake the pan a few times to ensure an even browning. Once the caramel is dark amber add the butter and salt and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.

Pour the cream in a small sauce pan and heat until boiling. Pour the cream over the caramel/butter mixture and whisk. Pour the mixture through a strainer in a bowl and cool. Once the caramel mixture is under 80°C (176°F) squeeze the excess water from gelatin and place it in the caramel. Mix until it melts. Set aside to cool.

Once the caramel is at room temperature fold in the mascarpone cheese. Mix until there are no lumps left. Place in the fridge to set for about 1 hour.

Making the sable shortbread:
Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
Place the softened butter in a bowl and mix until creamy.

In the bowl of your electric or hand mixer place the egg yolks and sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Gradually fold the butter cream in the egg yolk mixture. Sift both flowers and baking powder in the bowl with the egg yolks. Fold to combine, add a pinch of salt and orange zest. Fold to combine.

Place a stainless steal square mold (20x20) on a baking tray lined with baking paper or silicon.
Place the sable dough in the square and, with the help of an offset spatula, smooth the dough all the way to the edges.

Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. The edges of the shortbread should be slightly higher than the center. After baked, let it cool down before removing the square.
Set aside and cool completely.

Assembly:
Spread the caramel cream over the cooled shortbread and smooth it over the entire surface, make sure you spread the cream on the edges too.
Apply a generous layer of pistachios at the edges of the shortbread.

Cut the strawberries horizontally, so that you get points and flat parts. Arrange them over the cream alternating peaks and washers.

Sprinkle over some leftover pistachios, decorate with chocolate and candied orange peel.