In Emma King’s household, dessert is a must and is a wonderful way for this local criminal defence lawyer to spend quality time baking with her two charming and vivacious children, Lizzie (4) and Freddy (2).
Fond of rustic recipes that provide just enough challenge to inspire her culinary skill, Emma’s Roasted Strawberry and Crème Fraîche Tart delivers just the right hint of sweet and savoury to die for.
Emma’s Roasted Strawberry and Creme Fraiche Tart
Ingredients (Serves 8)
Pastry
- 300g plain flour
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- Fine sea salt
- 200g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ – 2 ½ tsp iced water
Roasted Strawberries
- 500g strawberries, hulled and halved, plus extra to serve
- 2 tarragon sprigs plus extra to serve
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
- 60g of roasted pistachio nuts
Almond Cream
- 200g mascarpone
- 200g crème fraiche
- 200g fresh full-fat ricotta
- 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
- ½ tsp of almond extract
- 60g icing sugar, sifted
Method
Pastry
- Combine flour, sugar and pinch of salt on clean work surface. Rub butter into flour until you have the texture of breadcrumbs.
- Mix in the egg yolk and sprinkle just enough iced water so that the dough just comes together.
- Flatten into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
- Take pastry out of fridge for 10 minutes and roll out on lightly floured work surface.
- Drape into a 23cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, gently pressing into the edges.
- Trim overhanging pastry, line with baking paper and fill with baking weights.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove paper and weights and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Allow pastry shell to cool completely before removing from tin.
Roasted strawberries
- For roasted strawberries, keep oven at 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Place strawberries, tarragon, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and toss to coat.
- Roast for 30 minutes. Set aside and cool. oil and heat until it just begins to bubble when checked with a utensil.
Roasted strawberries
- Whip mascarpone, crème fraiche and ricotta to stiff peaks in a bowl. Stir through remaining ingredients and set aside.
- To assemble, fill tart shell with the almond cream. Top with roasted strawberries, extra tarragon and generous scattering of roasted pistachio nuts.
