David Scott AllenPies & TartsProvencal RecipesTaste

Strawberry love in Tarte aux Fraises

My parents still talk about the time when I consumed my fair share of fresh French strawberries, four times over. We were in Paris visiting family friends and strawberries were in season and thus a perfect dessert. It only took one bite for me to realise that I had been deprived for the previous 17-years with fakes posing as strawberries.

In his Cocoa & Lavender post, David celebrates the strawberry season with a gorgeous fresh Tarte aux Fraises . The full recipe is below and additional photos on his website.

tarte aux fraises #TastesofProvence @CocoaandLavender

Tarte aux Fraises

A light and refreshing tart filled with custard and adorned with the season's finest strawberries.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Provencal
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

Tart Shell

  • 300 grams Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • pinch Salt
  • 150 grams chilled butter
  • 1 large Egg beaten

Custard Filling

  • 80 grams Sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • pinch Salt

Topping

  • 2 pints strawberries hulled and halved lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup currant jelly

Instructions
 

Tart Shell

  • Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse twice to blend.
  • Add butter in 10 pieces and pulse 10 times.
  • Add beaten egg, and process until dough is moist and almost ready to clump.
  • Remove from the processor and place on the counter. Bring together into a ball; wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Roll out dough into a 13-inch circle. It will break apart from time to time – just keep putting it back together.
  • Slide the removable bottom of an 11-inch fluted tart pan under the crust (this will make it easier to transfer with fewer breaks) and then place it into the fluted ring of the tart pan.
  • Press the dough into the bottom, sides, and corners of the mold, and trim any excess. Make sure all cracks are filled.
  • Prick the bottom 10-15 times with a fork, line with foil, and fill with pie weights (I use dried beans), and bake for 20 minutes.
    Blind baking tart shell @cocoaandlavender
  • Remove the foil and weights and bake 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Preparing the custard filling

  • Whisk together the 80 grams of sugar, 2 eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt.
  • Pour into the cooled crust and bake for 15-18 minutes until custard is set. (It will be only a thin layer of custard.)

Preparing the strawberries

  • Starting at the outer edge, arrange strawberry halves in concentric circles, points inward, until custard is covered.
    Strawberry tart #TastesofProvence @cocoaandlavender
  • Melt the currant jelly in a small saucepan until liquid and smooth.
  • Brush the strawberries with the melted jelly and allow it to set for 30 minutes to 2 hours before serving.
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David Scott Allen

David Scott Allen

David Scott Allen is the author, photographer, and cook behind Cocoa & Lavender, a weekly food blog based in Tucson, Arizona. Passionate about travel, he especially enjoys eating traditional foods and learning local customs, whether in the United States or around the globe.

David's first trip to France took place when he was 14, and he returned as often as possible thereafter. However, it wasn't until his 50th birthday that he finally made it south to Provence. The beauty, history, charm, warmth, cuisine, and - of course - the rosé wines captured his heart. He shares his Provençal recipes here on Perfectly Provence, and his food and wine pairings monthly on the Provence WineZine.

David is a firm believer that sharing a meal with friends around the table is one of life's greatest pleasures. And if it happens to be in Provence, all the better!

2 Comments

  1. blank
    August 26, 2017 at 5:06 pm — Reply

    This is absolutely one of my favorite tarts ever! It is divinely exquisite in its simplicity!

    • blank
      August 27, 2017 at 4:47 am — Reply

      And gorgeous too! Thanks for sharing your recipe David.

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