Old school is now the new school. Remember those layered sweet and salty Strawberry Pretzel Pies? Or depending on where you grew up they were called Strawberry Pretzel Salads. They were typically made with crushed pretzels, cream cheese and strawberry jello, served in glass rectangular pans, and cut into squares. This old-fashioned dessert made regular, year round appearances at barbecues, potlucks, picnics, holiday meals, or on Church Social buffets. However, they didn't first started popping up until the 1960s. As the recipe first originated in the 1963 cookbook "The Joys of Jell-O". It's been said the Strawberry Pretzel Salad was initially and fully embraced in the South before catching on across the country. However, having lived in the South for only a brief period in the mid 1980s, I don't recall even seeing or hearing about anything called a Strawberry Pretzel Salad. But I do remember having it while growing up in the Midwest.
So why was it called a salad? Well, back in the 1960s and 70s, anything made with jello or any fruit suspended in jello was basically called a salad. There are still some parts of the country where jello based dishes are still considered salads. Just ask my good friend from Minnesota and she will tell you every Minnesota Lutheran considers jello a staple ingredient in a salad. One usually served with a hot dish. She might also tell you it wasn't until sometime during her early adult years was she shocked to discover there was a whole new world of 'real' salads. Ones involving lettuce and salad dressing. By today's standards many of us would consider that early Strawberry Pretzel Salad a dessert. So in making and calling this three-layered (or four layered when you consider the whipped cream top) Strawberry Pretzel Tart a dessert, I am simply doing my part to further solidify its' place in the dessert category. As a side note, I am not the first one seeking to shift it from it's early salad status to a dessert one. The makers of Jello now refer to the original recipe as Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Bars.
Call it whatever you want, serve it as a side dish or as a dessert, but definitely make and serve this Strawberry Pretzel Tart. It's sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, luscious, and refreshing. In other words it's pure deliciousness.
Unlike the original recipe this one isn't make with jello.
However, similar to the original recipe this one is made with a crushed pretzel, melted butter, and brown sugar crust. Mini-pretzels seem to work best here. Crushing them in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin is much easier, better stress relieving method than crushing them in a food processor. Once the pretzel crust is baked and cooled, the cream cheese layer comes next. Unlike the original recipe the cream cheese layer uses freshly whipped heavy cream instead of Cool Whip. Additionally there is both confectionary sugar and vanilla added in to give the cream cheese layer a no-bake cheesecake-like flavor and texture.
Remember I said there wasn't any jello in this Strawberry Pretzel Tart? Well there isn't. But there is unflavored gelatin. Which means you are really making your own homemade, much better tasting, version of jello. One pound of pureed strawberries, granulated sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and a packet of unflavored gelatin (e.g., Knox) creates the most incredible textured strawberry jello-like layer. But wait. Before you pour this puree over the tart, the other pound of strawberries are thinly sliced and layered in a circular pattern over the cream cheese layer. Spoiler alert: No one will see this beautiful layering but it will create an even layer of sliced strawberries.
Once the puree is poured over the sliced strawberries, the tart gets wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator to set up. Ideally, you should let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. Some recipes call for freezing each of the layers before adding the next one. I didn't find that to be necessary. The refrigerator worked perfectly.
Using a springform pan or a tart pan with a removable bottom enables you to unmold the Strawberry Pretzel Tart onto a platter or cake stand. Giving it a bit more of a celebratory, eye candy finished look. And definitely helping to identify itself as a dessert! If you don't have either one of these pans, you can always make this tart in a pie dish or even a square or rectangular pan.
This Strawberry Pretzel Tart has all of the nostalgic feels of the ones you may have had decades ago. Only this updated version of the classic with all of its' twists is even better. Especially when finished with some lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream. If, by some chance, you have never had this layered dessert (or salad if you must), there is no better time than now to try it. Especially if you are looking to satisfy any of those sweet-salty-crunchy-creamy cravings you might be having. I should warn you. The contrasting flavors and textures of this tart are highly addictive!
There may be no better way to celebrate the return of indoor/outdoor gatherings of more than 6 people or family picnics than serving this Strawberry Pretzel Tart. But you really shouldn't wait until. Really, you shouldn't.
Strawberry Pretzel Tart
Serves 8-12, depending on how you slice it
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
4 cups (6 ounces, 176 g) mini-salted pretzel twists, crushed
11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
Cream Cheese Layer
8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (90 g) confectionary sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Layers
1 package (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
Generous pinch of kosher salt
2 pounds (907 g) fresh strawberries, divided
Optional: 2 cups of freshly whipped heavy cream
Directions
Pretzel Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper or use a 9" tart pan with removable bottom. (See notes)
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and brown sugar until well combined.
3. Press the pretzel mixture into the prepared pans. Pressing some of the crust up the sides of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
Cream Cheese Layer
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add the cream cheese and confectionary sugar to the mixer. Whip until smooth, light, and fluffy.
3. Add the whipped cream to the bowl. On low speed, mix until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Spoon the cream cheese filling over the cooled pretzel crust. Smooth the top using an offset spatula.
5. Place in the refrigerator and let chill for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
Strawberry Layers
1. Divide the 2 pounds of strawberries in half.
2. Remove the stems from the remaining pound of strawberries and thinly slice lengthwise. Remove the tart from the refrigerator and lay the sliced berries over the cream cheese layer in a slightly overlapping spiral pattern. Return the tart to the refrigerator while you make the puree.
3. Puree one pound of the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Remove 1/2 cup of puree and put in a small bowl. Add the unflavored gelatin to the 1/2 cup of reserved puree. Mix to combine and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Place the remaining puree, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a medium sized saucepan. Bring the strawberries and sugar to a bowl, whisking often.
5. Add in the reserved strawberry/gelatin to the pot. Cook for approximately 1 minute or until the gelatin has dissolved. Immediately transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup to let cool. Let the mixture cool for at least 15 minutes (it will be still be slightly warm when poured over the sliced strawberry layer.
6. Return to the tart to the refrigerator. Let the tart set overnight to fully set.
Assembly
1. Make the freshly whipped cream.
2. Remove the tart from the springform or tart pan. Place on a platter or cake stand.
3. Pipe the whipped cream onto the tart. Garnish with some mini-pretzel twists.
4. Slice, serve, and savor.
5. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes: (1) To make the lightly sweetened whipped cream, whip 2 cups of heavy cream and 3-4 Tablespoons of confectionary sugar in a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. (2) Use mini-salted pretzel twists or sticks rather than regular sized pretzels when making the crust.
