"It's arguable to say that every one of us has been moved by the beauty of what I have called snapshots, but for photographers they are charms and proverbs, and like lightening or wild strawberries.." (Tod Papageorge) Whether or not I actually get to see blossoming cherry trees this year is now anyone's guess. Between a later than usual blooming season, the anticipated weather forecast for the next two weeks, and my schedule, I may or may not get to take in, let alone photograph, the beauty found in Door County's cherry orchards. While a whirlwind trip isn't exactly what I had in mind, I may have to go with a 'something is better than nothing' plan. I am keeping my fingers crossed I will find this much desired unicorn.
During moments of disappointment, no matter how insignificant or consequential, I tend to find solace in the kitchen. Baking is my therapy. The telltale signs of my self-medicating remedy would be the seven plus pounds of unsalted butter found in my refrigerator and well-stocked cabinets. There may not be any "food" in the house, but there is always an abundance of sugars, chocolate, flours, and spices. In the event of an apocalypse, we will have to survive on cookies, cakes, brownies, and tarts. And if, by chance, this happens in the spring or summer, we will probably be eating this Rustic Strawberry Slab Tart.
Slab tarts are relatively easy to make. Rustic slab tarts are even easier and as endearingly beautiful as artwork done by a three year old.
Instead of an all-butter crust, this one has a rye crust. Using part dark rye flour and all-purpose flour, the baked crust is darker in color, deeper in flavor, and makes for a perfect base for fruit based desserts (recipe for an all butter crust is in the notes below). Iced cold butter, iced cold water, and chilled apple cider vinegar (I keep mine in the refrigerator) are essential when making a dough. Having all of your ingredients measured out before starting the dough is always a good thing. Using your hands to make the dough will help it enhance its' flakiness. Once made, the dough chills in the refrigerator for at least two hours (or early in the day or overnight). Whether you shape it in an oval, circle, square, or rectangle, the rolled out dough bakes in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for 25-30 minutes.
If you find or pick strawberries, look for the smallest ones you can find. Not only are they usually the sweetest, they help to make this tart look even more beautiful. Mine were more on the medium size.
On top of the baked crust is a generously slathered layer of lightly sweetened, vanilla bean enhanced mascarpone cream. After adding some dollops of strawberry preserves, the sliced strawberries are arranged on top in as rustic or precise manner as you wish. Like old weathered barns, I am drawn to rustic tarts.
The finishing touch comes from brushing on a melted strawberry preserves and Chambord mixture over the sliced strawberries.
There is only one downside to this Rustic Strawberry Slab Tart. It is best enjoyed as soon as it is fully assembled. If you bake the tart slab early in the day (keep covered) and make the mascarpone cream (keep in the refrigerator), it will take about 15 minutes to put it all together.
This isn't the first Strawberry Tart posted to the blog, but this version is my favorite. After listening to one of my friends share how her mother's recipes never seem to turn out like her mother made them, I couldn't help but wonder what nuances she may have made, but never wrote down, to them. Whenever I make enough changes to a recipe significantly affecting the outcome, I will share them here on the blog. Call them do-overs, updates, or good to great versions. Because the last thing I want to hear anyone say when they make one of the recipes from this blog is 'it didn't taste the same as when Lynn made it."
Rustic Strawberry Slab Tart
Serves 8 (one small tart) Serves 12-16 (one large tart)
Ingredients
Dough (makes enough for two smaller or one large slab tart)
1 1/3 cups (175 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups (175 g) dark rye flour
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (255 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 Tablespoon chilled apple cider vinegar
8-10 Tablespoons (120-150 ml) ice cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)
Tart
1 pound (450 g) strawberries, cut into 1/4" slices (smaller strawberries work best)
1 cup (225) mascarpone
3 Tablespoons caster sugar (or granulated sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
6 Tablespoons high quality strawberry preserves, divided
1 Tablespoon Chambord (optional)
Directions
Dough
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and salt. Set aside.
2. Mix together 8 Tablespoons of ice cold water with the apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
3. Add in the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingers, press each cube of butter until they are flattened.
4. Sprinkle 7 Tablespoons of the water/vinegar mixture over the flour/butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is combined. More than likely you will be adding the last tablespoon of the water/vinegar mixture and up to 2 more Tablespoons of water in order for the dough to get to a consistency where you can squeeze a handful together without it falling apart. Note: Add the additional ice cold water, two teaspoons at a time.
5. Press the dough into a ball. Cut in half, shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours (or overnight).
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).
7. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness in your desired shape (square, rectangle, oval, or circle). Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a fork, prick rows of hole (about 1/2 inch spacing between rows) in the crust.
8. Brush the egg wash over the dough.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway through, until the dough is a deep golden brown. Note: Press the dough down with a spatula if it bubbles form during the baking process.
10. Let the crust cool completely on the pan.
Tart and Assembly
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, caster sugar, and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract). Set aside.
2. Remove hulls and cut strawberries to a 1/4" thickness.
3. Place 3 Tablespoons of the strawberry preserves in a small pan. Add in the Chambord. Heat until the alcohol burns off the preserves have melted.
4. Transfer the baked crust to a large platter.
5. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the baked crust.
6. Evenly dollop the remaining 3 Tablespoons of the strawberry preserves over the mascarpone layer.
7. Layer the sliced strawberries.
8. Brush the melted strawberry preserves over the top of the strawberries.
9. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes: (1) The recipe for the dough will give you enough for two smaller slab tarts or one large slab tart. If making a large slab tart, double the tart ingredients. (2) Instead of a rye crust, can make a butter crust. Use 2 2/3 (340 g) all-purpose flour instead of an all-purpose/rye flour mix. (3) Instead of a slab tart look, can also make in a 9" inch tart shell. (4) Make the dough early in the day or the day before. Assemble the tart right before serving as it's best enjoyed shortly thereafter as the crust will get soggy from the mascarpone mixture after a couple of hours. (5) Instead of strawberries, make this tart using fresh blueberries and/or blackberries using blueberry and/or blackberry preserves in lieu of the strawberry preserves.
