A fresh strawberry tart is one of springtime’s great joys. Nothing says springtime more than a punnet (yes, punnet -look at all the stuff you learn here!) of fresh strawberries. Well, flowers and allergy season do also but that’s a different blog.
This simple recipe uses only 5 easy-to-find ingredients, is very quick to prepare and serves as a light dessert perfect for a gathering. With the spring holidays coming up, this lovely, colorful dessert is a no-brainer, slam dunk (and one or two other cliches).
For a fresh strawberry tart friends and family will rave about, all you have to do is minimally roll out the puff pastry, fold the edges, spread the jam, arrange the slices of fresh strawberries on the pastry and bake. Et voila! Simple, delicious and quite a bit of fun. Speaking of which, this is a great recipe to share and make with your kids, friends (hello, girls’ night with wine!) and family.
As a bonus, if you’ve been cooking all day for your spring holidays or a dinner party, this recipe won’t leave you exhausted and covered in frosting.
Not just a strawberry tart but variations galore!
There are endless variations for this simple tart…try nutella (yes, I invoked the name of one of the most deliciously addictive of treats) under the strawberries instead of preserves. Drizzle a balsamic reduction (see notes in the recipe) over the strawberry tart for an extra pop of flavor. Hell, go super fancy with some strawberries, goat cheese, honey and balsamic reduction! Did someone say, “Five star dessert?”
Experiment with different fruits and combinations of fruits as the seasons change: blueberries, apricots, peaches, raspberries, pears or apple slices. Think of this as a fruit pizza and you won’t be able to stop thinking up fun variations.
Bonus Tip: Keep a package of puff pastry in your freezer. It will always come in handy if you have a sweet tooth or when friends and family drop by.
Have a great meal!
Tracy from Real, Not Perfect
Simple and Fresh Strawberry Tart
Equipment
- Pastry brush
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and rolled out to 12 x 12 inches
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-1/3 inch thick slices
- 2 tbsp strawberry preserves
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves, warmed up
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, 200 degrees C.
- On a large piece of parchment paper, roll out the puff pastry to 12 x 12 inches.
- Transfer the parchment paper with the pastry to a large baking sheet.
- Lightly score the puff pastry 1 inch from the edge on all 4 sides. Be careful not to cut all the way through the pastry.
- Fold the edges of the pastry up to the score line.
- Spread a thin layer of strawberry preserves on the puff pastry.
- Slice the strawberries lengthwise into 1/4-1/3 inch slices. Arrange the slices on the puff pastry on top of the strawberry preserves. You can overlap the strawberries or lay them flat.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of the strawberries.
- Bake the tart in a 400 degree oven for 18-22 minutes, until the edges are puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.Heat up the apricot preserves just until warm and easy to spread. With a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of the apricot preserves to the top of the pastry and dab onto the strawberries just to give them a beautiful shine.
- Cut into 6 or 9 squares. A pizza cutter works well with cutting. Serve when cool with a dollop of whipped cream (if desired).
