Super Simple Strawberry Tart

Strawberries and summer go hand in hand, and this is a really easy dessert that will cook while you eat dinner.  You can make it on a baking sheet right on your grill, or if you can handle the heat or its cooler weather, you can make it in your oven.  It’s light and delicious and great for casual entertaining or for an everyday dessert.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes, plus 20 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb strawberries
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp raw sugar
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1/4 cup apricot jam

Preparation

1. Preheat oven or grill to 350F.
2. Hull and cut strawberries into same-sized pieces in a bowl, leaving small berries whole.  Pieces should be fairly large so they retain their form when cooked. Add salt and sugar and stir with a spoon.
3. Spread out puff pastry on sheet of parchment on a baking tray.  Curl edges up and pinch them into place, creating an edge.  Poke holes in  the bottom of the pastry with a fork and bake blind for 10 minutes.
4. Warm apricot jam in a microwave for 30 seconds, and stir until liquid.
5. After blind baking, pour strawberries and juices into the centre of the puff pastry, spreading them out to create an even layer from edge to edge.  Using a pastry brush, coat the berries with the jam, or alternatively, drizzle the jam over the top with a spoon.
6. Put the pan back on the grill or in the oven for another 20-25 minutes until pastry is puffed and brown around the edges.
7. Cut into 6 pieces.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Tips

• If you want a bit of crunch, sprinkle some slivered almonds over the top.
• “Baking blind” means par cooking the pastry with nothing on it so the bottom has the opportunity to cook a bit, puff up, and not get soggy.
• I always add a pinch of salt to my strawberries to maximize their strawberry flavour.  It doesn’t make them salty, it makes them taste more like strawberries.
• Adding salt and sugar also helps to release the juices from the strawberries, which results in a nice syrupy juice in the tart.
• Other fresh fruit can be easily substituted, like blueberries, peaches, or pears.  A combination of peach and blueberry would make a stellar combination.
• Always keep puff pastry on hand in the freezer for a quick last minute dessert.

What do you think? Are you going to give it a try?  Take some pictures and let us know how it works for you.