Strawberry Tart Recipe

A strawberry tart is a perfect dessert for the warmer months. Starting in early spring, the strawberries that find their way into the markets are sweet and succulent and taste delicious in a tart. Here’s the recipe.

How to Make a Strawberry Tart

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
  • ¼ cup apricot jelly

Directions:

For the crust:

Add the flour, butter, sugar, and salt to the food processor until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Place the crumbs in a 9-inch round tart pan that has a removable bottom.

Dust your fingers with flour and press the dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Keep dipping your fingers in the flour throughout the process to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. Freeze the crust for about ten minutes, or until it becomes completely firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the crust from the freezer once it is firm and prick it all over with a fork or a sharp knife. Bake the crust in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown.

About halfway through the cooking process, you may notice that the crust is beginning to puff up. When it does, tap it gently with a spoon to encourage the crust to go back to the bottom of the pan. Remove the crust from the oven once it’s cooked and let it cool in the pan.

For the filling:

Add the cream cheese and sugar to a medium bowl and beat on low speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the mixture to the bottom of the tart pan, on top of the baked crust, and spread with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Arrange the strawberry halves in a single layer on top of the tart filling. Heat the jelly in a small saucepan until it loosens. Brush evenly over the strawberries using a pastry brush. Let the tart set for about 20 minutes on the countertop, until the jelly solidifies. Transfer the tart to the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or some ice cream, if desired.

Variations:

Strawberry Jam Tart. Prepare the tart recipe listed above. Omit the strawberries and apricot jelly and spread 1 cup of strawberry jam on top of the cream cheese filling instead. Chill the tart for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving, as usual.

Mixed Berry Tart. Prepare the tart recipe listed above. Arrange mixed berries such as blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries across the cream filling in a single layer instead of the strawberries. Use strawberry jelly instead of apricot jelly and chill the prepared tart in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving, as usual.