Strawberry Tart with a Shortbread Crust
As you may know (if you read my last post about Strawberry Freezer Jam), I purchased quite a few strawberries recently. Those strawberries managed to find their way into jam, cereal bowls, freezer bags as well as a beautiful strawberry tart. The few that were left were quickly popped into our mouths before someone else did the same. I had purchased these berries right before our house guests arrived last week. Needless to say, with a house full of people, they all disappeared.
Just days before I purchased the strawberries, I received a parcel in the mail from Walkers. In case you are not familiar with the company, they are the rather famous shortbread folks from Scotland. We all love to get food goodies in the mail (especially buttery rich shortbread), so I was excited to be able to possibly combine the shortbread with the strawberries (which of course, I did, but we will get to that later).
A week before my parcel arrived, I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing some of the Walkers products, so I chose several varieties of their shortbread to try. I was very familiar with their products, but had not purchased any in awhile (because we would eat the whole box in one sitting if we had them in our house on a regular basis). They have been making shortbread since 1898, so I think they know a thing or two about the stuff. In addition, they have a product line that has expanded over the years. They now have the Duchy Line, which is all organic (available only outside the U.S.) and the Weight Watcher’s line (also available outside the U.S.), which is what I should have asked to sample after eating some of this tart.
Their shortbread is a delightful treat with a cup of tea or a big glass of cold milk. They are buttery and rich and are made with only several ingredients. There are no artificial flavors or preservatives in their products. That is why they taste so close to being homemade. The Walker family has kept it that way from the beginning and they still continue to manufacture their shortbread in the village of Aberlour in the Scottish Highlands to this day. By keeping to the original recipe and family traditions, it may be why they have won several awards, including their 4th time winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.
I have to admit that my favorites are the little mini shortbread cookies (both plain and chocolate chip). I feel like I can have something really decadent in just a little bite, so that I don’t feel guilty about eating a whole cookie.
I decided to take a couple of the packages of the shortbread and play around a little bit. If you know me, you know I am crazy like that I like doing that. I just couldn’t leave perfectly good shortbread alone.
I crushed up several up the packages and combined them with melted butter to make a crust (like they needed more butter mixed in with them). The crust became pliable like a pastry dough and patted into the tart pan perfectly. I baked it for just a few minutes to brown it slightly and cooled it before filling. Those two ingredients alone made a beautiful shortbread crust.
I would suggest that if you would just like the crust on the bottom of the pan to use half the amount of shortbread and butter. Be sure to have a firmer filling (such as a no-bake cheesecake filling) that will hold its shape when unmolded. I used a pastry cream, so I needed the crust all around.
I topped the pastry cream with the beautiful strawberries and a little bit of melted currant jelly with a pastry brush. There you have it – Strawberry Tart with a Shortbread Crust! The buttery crust along with the vanilla flavor from the pastry cream and the sweetness of the strawberries was delectable.
Be sure to serve the tart the same day as you make it. The pastry cream does not hold well into the next day. That means you need to share with guests or eat the whole thing yourself the day you make it (just kidding, that would be gross).
Just in case you were wondering, I was not paid to do this review. I will work for shortbread cookies. 🙂 There was also a giveaway that has ended.
Strawberry Tart with a Shortbread Crust
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Crust
2 boxes (5.3 oz. each) of Walker’s Shortbread (either regular or the rounds), crushed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pastry cream
2 1/4 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Topping and glaze
1/3 cup currant jelly
1 qt. strawberries, washed, hulled and halved (you may not need them all)
Directions:
For crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place shortbread crumbs and melted butter in a food processor. Process until mixture begins to come together. Turn into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Pat the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. As you continue to press the crumbs, the mixture will become almost like a dough. Press evenly around the pan, using a squared off mixing cup to get a nice even crust. * Place tart pan on a cookie sheet to catch any butter that may escape from the tart pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes in the middle of preheated oven, just until lightly brown. The crust will darken slightly as it cools. Remove carefully to a wire rack. Cool completely.
For pastry cream: (adapted from The Culinary Institute of America)
In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch. Place remaining 1 3/4 cups milk in a heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup sugar over, letting sugar sink undisturbed to bottom. Set pan over moderate heat and bring to simmer without stirring.
Whisk hot milk mixture, then gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture. Return to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and whisk cream until smooth. Transfer to bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 4 hours.
For glaze:
Right before assembling tart, melt currant jelly in a small saucepan over low heat. Let cool slightly before using.
To assemble tart:
Spread chilled pastry cream over tart shell. You will use the entire amount. Carefully place strawberry halves over pastry cream in a decorative pattern. Be careful not to push them down into the pastry cream. Lightly glaze the strawberries with the currant jelly glaze using a pastry brush.
Chill the tart for an hour or two. Carefully separate the bottom of the tart pan from the side pan and unmold the tart. Serve immediately.
Wow! What a yummy strawberry tart!
My compliments to you.
Thank you for the recipe and the pictures.
Greetings from Germany.
What a fantastic use for shortbread! I have had high tea several times. It’s always such a treat to spend an afternoon with friends in such a refined way. I have gone to Brown’s in London, the Grand America (several times) in Salt Lake City, and The Empress in Victoria, Canada.
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Congrats on you Top 1 !!!! we are lucky you got so many strawberries….you are giving us great recipes !!!
What a pretty, refreshing, summery, sinfully delicious tart!
Congrats on top 9, this tart looks fantastic.
This strawberry tart looks wonderful and I really enjoy Walker’s shortbread products as well=}
Our strawberry’s in California are just ripening. Thank you for the great recipe. I drink tea all day long but have never had the privilage of going to a high tea.
I will like you on facebook already following you perfect tart`
I have yet to try high tea but I would love to visit the Drake in Chicago. I love the tart. Fresh strawberries are my favorite ones.
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I love the idea of high tea. I’ve hosted high tea parties and go to different places serving high tea with my friends and family every chance I get. I’ve gone with my friends to High Tea at Harrods in London (fantastic), I’ve taken my family to High Tea at the Penninsula Hotel in Chicago (my favorite so far), and there used to be a very quaint little tea shop just outside of Chicago that used to serve high tea that my sisters and I would meet up at to catch up. Brunch being my favorite thing ever, high tea adds an element of glamor and thoughtfulness to it, which I love.
You are quite the Queen of tarts my dear… this is spectacular stuff. I used to love Walkers shortbread when I was with BA, and that took me to London often. Nothing like the original, and what great use you put some of it to… AWESOME!!
I’d like to be entered in this beautiful giveaway if a US address works. Thank you!
What a gorgeous tart. The photo is amazing, it jumps right off the screen. Great job!
Cheers!
I had high tea at The Grand Hotel on Macinaw Island in Michigan. It was fabulous!
I used to live in England as a child, so I have had lots of high teas. I miss devon clotted cream!
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This looks great! And not too complicated.
I’ve had tea at Upstairs on the Square, someplace in London that I don’t remember but was gorgeous and outdoors, and at the Inn at Harvard (or maybe it was the Harvard Square Inn).
I have never had high tea but hopefully one day I will. It seems like it would be a fun experience
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i love strawberries!! this is an immaculate and beautiful pie you made here. it’s so professional-looking! well done!
I am now following on Twitter and I liked on Facebook. Just found your blog through Chef Wanabe. Love the Strawberry Tart recipe and who doesn’t love shortbread!!
Looks amazing!Turkish food, I do with my partner.I would like to see our food.Greetings from Turkey…
I lived in England for three years and can you believe I’ve never had a formal afternoon tea?!? If I had the opportunity to go back, I’d make sure to enjoy formal tea there 🙂 *Thanks* for the giveaway!
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I have never had a high tea but if I were to choose a place, I would choose England.
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This recipe may contain my 3 favorite things ever. I can’t wait to make it.
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That tart is just fabulous. I love the idea of using the shortbread cookies in the crust. High tea? yes, I ‘ve had it at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, Canada, but wouldn’t it be nice to have it at Claridge’s in London?
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Yum! I love shortbread and your tart looks incredible! It’s so beautiful – what a stunner on the table – I hope you had some friends over to enjoy that! Afternoon tea is just about my favorite ritual ever… On my first trip to London, as a teenager, my mom took us to Brown’s hotel for high tea. So fun! I love little mini sandwiches. After that, my brother and I insisted on high tea when we came home from school (which pretty much became tea and cookies after about a day).
I’ve never been to high tea before, but I think it’d be fun to do somewhere like London with the Queen!
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I’ve made this beautiful tart several times, the recipe is a keeper! Absolutely delicious! And it looks divine!
love this crust , your tart look divine, I have had afternoon with my sisters, and every other day with my five yr old(hubby got her a tea set)–but we drink juice..haha
sweetlife
Dear Gwen – A lovely post as always. I crave afternoon (cream tea) the way a fish craves water! Make it at home as often as I can & absolutely dig the tea service at the Ritz Carlton, Willard Inter continental, D.C. & Jefferson Hotel, VA….all these in the US of course. Please don’t get me started on London 🙂
BTW, interestingly the tea rooms in Savannah, G.A left me disappointed !
Hugs, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
What a great idea! Your photo of the tart is gorgeous!
Your pictures are unbelievable! This looks delicious. Have fun at Camp Blogaway!
That is just beautiful…
I like you even thought I just used to be a fan and we can sometimes drive each other all a Twitter…so I’ll just comment if I can.
Looks amazing; want it now!
I’m renowned (well, my family counts!) for a simple strawberry pie…and it seems each year the layer of mascarpone cheese and sugar expands a bit but it’s really in those fresh berries that it is a star. My daughter’s best friend begs for the pie even though she’s allergic to strawberries. So, I’m going to have to try this with a shortbread crust…will make a wonderful pie even more decadent I’m sure!
Great idea; my blogging/camper, wish I was with you when you go to NC friend!
My my..this is a mouthwatering one
I have never gone to have tea, only had it at home by myself… booo… i would love to go out for tea!
I have never had formal tea, but I would love to do it in London. Thanks
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These look delightful!
This is beautiful I am definitely going to try this stunning tart! Just got some farmers market strawberries today. Thanks!
This recipe made my mouth water and I want to eat it right away 😀