Strawberries and Cream Tart
One thing I know about myself? I love a fresh fruit tart. Even better, one that’s inspired by my travels, like this strawberries and cream tart.
After studying abroad in France, I went to Switzerland. While visiting Interlaken, I had the most amazing strawberry dessert experience, quite possibly of my life.
I mean, firstly, I remember going back again within a few days for another slice (and they were sold out!). Secondly, I’ve thought about this tart on repeat since then (and this trip was over a decade ago!!).
While, sadly, 20-year-old me didn’t take copious notes (or any) on the flavors, textures, or potential ingredients. I knew I needed to attempt a recreation of this tart based on my memory of this absolute treat.
Mental note to future self: ALWAYS write down the explicit details on the excellent bites.
Geeeeez, Hannah.
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STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM TART
All I remember of the glorious Swiss tart is that it reminded me of a fruity version of my grandmother’s lady locks (aka French horns). A buttery crust, creamy filling, plus a solid layer of fresh strawberries.
For my version, we’re pressing an all-butter pie crust into a tart pan – gotta have that pretty and classy vibe – and filling it with a creme diplomat-style vanilla cream. The fresh strawberries are halved and tossed with “melted” jam, for that final glossy touch.
How do you prevent your crust from shrinking in your tart pan? Chilling your buttery dough in the pan before baking will firm up the structure of your tart. Also, adding pie weights helps keep the shape of your crust while in the oven. Lastly, leaving a lip of dough above the edge of the pan helps prevent shrinkage (which you can leave as is or “shave” down using a microplane once baked).
INGREDIENTS
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the tart crust and helps thicken the cream filling.
- Salt: Pops the flavors of both the crust and filling.
- Unsalted butter: Creates a rich, flaky crust and adds a smooth texture to the cream filling.
- Cold water: Brings the tart dough together.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cream filling to balance the tartness of the strawberries
- Egg: For richness and to help thicken the cream filling.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the filling for a smooth, sliceable texture.
- Whole milk: The base of the cream filling, adding richness.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warm flavor to the filling.
- Heavy cream: Folded into the pastry cream to create a light diplomat-style texture.
- Fresh strawberries: For flavor, color, and the perfect tart-but-sweet balance.
- Strawberry jam: Enhances the strawberry flavor while giving the fresh berries a glossy finish.
How do I give fruit a glossy finish on the top of desserts? Jam! For this recipe, we’re using strawberry for added flavor, but I love to keep a jar of apricot jam (which is fairly neutral) in the fridge for a finishing touch on pies and tarts!
HOW TO MAKE A STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM TART
Prepare and bake the all-butter tart crust…
Preheat your oven to 425°F and thoroughly grease an 11-inch tart pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand. Pour in the cold water and mix until the dough comes together, then gently press it into a ball.
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a ⅛-inch-thick circle. Remove the top sheet of parchment, place it back on top, flip the dough over, and remove the new top sheet.
Place the exposed dough into the prepared tart pan and gently press it into the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough, leaving a ¼-inch overhang above the rim to help prevent shrinking during baking.
Transfer the tart shell to the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes. Once chilled, place the tart on a baking sheet, and dock the bottom of the crust all over with a fork.
Crumple a sheet of parchment paper, then unfold it and place it inside the tart shell. Fill with pie weights and spread them into an even layer.
Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 10–12 minutes, or until dry and lightly golden.
Remove the tart crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely before adding the filling.
Make the vanilla cream filling…
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar for 1 minute until well combined. Add the cornstarch and flour, whisking until smooth.
In a medium pot, heat the milk and vanilla over medium-high heat until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Do not boil!
Slowly stream about one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Repeat with the remaining milk in two additions until fully combined.
Rinse the pot with cold water and wipe it clean, then pour the mixture back into the pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream thickens and becomes smooth.
Remove the pastry cream from the heat and stir in the butter one piece at a time until fully incorporated. Transfer the cream to a clean bowl.
Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, about 30–60 minutes.
Once the pastry cream has cooled, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream until smooth and fully combined.
Spread the cream filling into the cooled tart crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate while you prepare the strawberry topping.
Assemble the fresh strawberry tart…
Place the halved strawberries in a large bowl. Add the strawberry jam to a small pot and warm over medium-low heat until smooth and glossy.
Pour the melted jam over the strawberries and gently toss until evenly coated. This adds shine and makes that fresh strawberry flavor pop.
Starting in the center of the tart, arrange the strawberries in a circle, pointing towards the center wit with the cut sides facing down. Slightly overlap each row as you work outward toward the edge of the tart.
Refrigerate the finished strawberries and cream tart for at least 30 minutes to allow the jam topping to set. Slice and serve chilled, or with a dusting of powdered sugar!
3 reasons you’ll love this fresh strawberries and cream tart
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Make sure to grease all the grooves in your pan before placing your all-butter pie dough inside. Then gently press your dough into the bottom and sides for an even bake (and shape). You can use your fingers or a bit of extra dough to do this!
- Since your dough is baked in a tart pan, the tips of the edges are going to color before the center. Use the color of the middle base of the dough to guide you on when to pull your tart shell from the oven.
- When making the pastry cream, once it starts to thicken, it will thicken quickly! Make sure to whisk constantly, and as soon as it thickens, remove it from the heat. If you thicken it too much, the cream can become claggy and less smooth.
- Your pastry cream must be cooled completely to room temperature before folding in your whipped cream. This way, it doesn’t deflate your cream, and your vanilla filling sets properly.
- You can either toss the strawberries in the melted jam or place them on your tart and brush them with the melted jam. I like the toss, since it gives a full coat and the warmth of the jam slightly softens the berries. Either way, the jam will lightly macerate your berries, so if you add too much, the top of your tart may become too wet
- You can easily swap the strawberries for other berries or do a mix of fruit on top of the cream tart! I’d recommend swapping the jam flavor to match the berry, or if it’s a mix, you can use this one-ingredient apricot jam hack to give that glossy finish.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can prep and press your dough into your tart pan and store it wrapped tightly in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The fully assembled strawberries and cream tart is best eaten within 24 hours for the best texture. Due to the moisture in the fruit and the filling, the longer it sits in the fridge, the softer the berries and the crust will become.
MORE STRAWBERRY RECIPES
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Galette
- Strawberry Cheesecake Focaccia
- Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
- Chocolate Velvet Linzer Cookies
- Strawberry Coffee Cake
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
- 11-inch Tart Pan
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Pie Weights (I use dry beans and rice)
- Medium Pot
- Spatulas
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
Equipment
- 11-inch tart pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Pie Weights (I used dry beans and rice)
- Medium Pot
- Spatulas
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 15 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 5 tbsp cold water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter cubed
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 4 cups fresh strawberries halved
- 3 tbsp strawberry jam
Instructions
CRUST
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Thoroughly grease an 11-inch tart pan and set aside
- Start by making your crust. In a bowl, stir together your flour and salt. Rub your cold, cubed butter into your flour until it resembles coarse sand
- Add in your cold water and mix, then press together into a dough ball
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a ⅛-inch thick circle
- Peel off the top piece of parchment paper, place it back down, flip, and peel off the “new” top piece of parchment paper. Invert into your greased tart pan and press evenly into the bottom and sides. Trim the excess dough but leave a ¼-inch lip of dough that sticks up above the edge of your tart pan. This will prevent it from shrinking as it bakes. Place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes
- Remove your tart from the fridge and place it on a baking sheet. Dock the bottom of your cold dough with a fork, then crinkle one of your sheets of parchment paper, and lay it gently in the tart pan, covering your crust. Pour in your pie weights and smooth to an even layer
- Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, and carefully lift out your parchment paper with the pie weights. Return to the oven and bake another 10-12 minutes until your crust looks dry and lightly golden
- Remove and cool completely
FILLING
- In a bowl, whisk together your eggs and sugar for one minute. Whisk your cornstarch and flour into your egg/sugar mixture. Whisking until everything is incorporated
- Heat milk and vanilla in a medium pot over medium-high heat until tiny active bubbles appear at the rim of the mixture
- Once the milk heats, stream in ⅓ of the liquid into your egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat with another third, whisk, and then the final third, until all is incorporated
- Rinse your pot with cold water to cool it down and wipe out any residue. Return all of the liquid to the pot and place it over medium heat
- You’ll notice it thickens on the bottom of the pot first, so make sure to constantly whisk (don’t worry, it will smooth out!). Once it’s thickened and whisking smooth, immediately remove from heat. Add in a piece of butter at a time, stirring, before adding in another until all is incorporated
- Pour into a clean bowl and cover the surface of your pastry cream with parchment paper, then set aside to cool to room temperature (30-60 minutes). You must stick your parchment paper to the top of your cream to prevent a thick skin from forming while it cools
- Once your cream has cooled, make your whipped cream. In a bowl, add your heavy cream and powdered sugar, then whip with a mixer until soft peaks form
- Gently fold your whipped cream into your pastry cream until smooth and just combined
- If you want a visually smooth crust on your tart, use a microplane to gently “shave” down the excess lip. You don’t have to do this step (I often don’t)
- Spread your cream filling into your cooled pie shell. Place in the fridge while you prep your strawberry topping
STRAWBERRIES + ASSEMBLY
- Place your halved strawberries in a bowl
- Add your strawberry jam to a pot and place it over medium-low heat. Stir until “melted,” and you have a smooth, glossy sauce
- Pour the jam-sauce into the bowl with your cut strawberries and stir to coat
- Remove the pan from your tart by centering it over a glass and gently pressing the sides of the pan down. Then use a knife to loosen the bottom of the pan from your tart carefully, and slowly slide your tart onto a serving plate
- Working from the center outward, lay your halved strawberries in a circle, cut side down and pointing towards the center. Have each new row slightly overlap the row in front of it, until you reach the edge
- Place your pie back in the fridge for another 30 minutes for that strawberry layer to firm up. Slice and serve as is or with a dusting of powdered sugar!
