Description
A delicate and elegant strawberry tart featuring a crisp almond pastry crust filled with a lavender-infused honey mascarpone cream and topped with fresh strawberries. This dessert combines floral notes and fresh citrus zest for a refreshing, sophisticated treat perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastry:
- 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100g ground almonds
- 75g golden caster sugar
- 175g cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp water (for egg yolk mixture, plus extra if needed)
For the Lavender Sugar:
- 300g granulated sugar
- ¾ tbsp dried lavender
For the Filling and Topping:
- 250g mascarpone
- 220ml double cream
- 4 tbsp lavender sugar (prepared above), plus extra to serve
- 4 tbsp lavender honey (or extra 2 tbsp lavender sugar if unavailable)
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 700g strawberries, hulled
Instructions
- Make the Pastry: Combine the flour, ground almonds, caster sugar, cold butter cubes, and a pinch of salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, being careful not to over-process to avoid releasing almond oil. Transfer to a bowl, then beat the egg yolk with 1 tsp water and gently mix into the dough with a knife until it just comes together. Add a little more water if necessary. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Tart Shell: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry to line a 25cm tart tin with a removable base, about 3cm deep. The pastry is delicate, so if it breaks, patch it together in the tin. Prick the base with a fork and chill again in the freezer or coldest fridge section for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6.
- Make Lavender Sugar: Grind the granulated sugar and dried lavender together in a small food processor bowl for about 1 minute, then set aside until needed.
- Blind Bake the Pastry: Line the chilled pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the sides hold their shape, then remove the parchment and beans and bake for an additional 5–7 minutes until golden. Let cool completely in the tin before gently removing it.
- Prepare the Filling: Beat the mascarpone with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the double cream and whisk with an electric mixer until the mixture holds its shape. Stir in the lavender sugar, lavender honey (or extra lavender sugar), orange zest, orange juice, and lemon juice. Adjust sweetness to taste.
- Assemble the Tart: Spoon or pipe the lavender honey cream into the cooled pastry shell. Arrange the hulled strawberries on top: if small, place whole pointed-side up; if large, slice to about the thickness of a £1 coin and layer the bigger slices in the center and smaller ones towards the edges.
- Finish and Serve: Dust the tart with extra lavender sugar before serving for a fragrant and beautiful finish.
Notes
- The pastry dough can be fragile; when rolling out, use plenty of flour and patch any cracks carefully in the tin.
- If lavender honey is not available, substitute with additional lavender sugar as directed.
- Ensure the filling cream is well chilled and whipped to soft peaks for best texture.
- Blind baking is crucial to prevent a soggy bottom and ensure a crisp tart shell.
- Allow the tart to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to enhance flavors.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: strawberry tart, lavender cream, honey mascarpone tart, spring dessert, floral dessert, almond pastry, berry tart, elegant tart
