Chocolate & Strawberry Tarts

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to make a strawberry tart/pie. Believe it or not, in spite of strawberries being one of my favourite fruits, I’ve only eaten strawberry pie once or twice in my life and this seemed like the perfect time to remedy that.

I looked up examples online, and quickly saw that there were as many versions of Strawberry Pie as there are people making them. (A lot.)

My first idea was to make one with a custard filling… but that would mean using egg yolks… which would leave me with more egg whites. (Eep!) So I started rethinking this project. What about a strawberry tart with both chocolate on the inside and on the outside? Still beautiful to look at, and maybe even a little bit more yummy.

The first time I tried making a crust, I figured I’d use a regular pastry, reduce the amount of flour and replace it with cocoa. Technically it was fine — it didn’t spread in weird ways or do anything strange or unexpected — but flavour-wise, well, it just wasn’t all that spectacular — you couldn’t taste enough of the chocolate to make it worth the trouble (and when it’s hot and/or humid, pastry can be a bit of a trouble!) I guess there’s a reason why you don’t see these things around much.

It then dawned on me to make a cookie crust — a chocolate shortbread that’s yummy, and good at holding its shape would be perfect.

And you know what? It was a success! What’s great about these is that they look really impressive, but in fact are really easy.

So without further ado, here’s how to recreate the  chocolate & strawberry yumminess:

The Recipe:

makes six 3 inch / 7.5cm tarts or one 9 inch / 23cm pie

For the crust (based on a cookie found on Epicurious)
1/2 cup / 125mL unsalted butter
1/4 cup / 60mL sugar
3/4 cup + 2tbsp / 120mL flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tbsp / 30mL cornstarch
1/8 tsp / 0.5mL salt

For the filling
4 oz / 130g dark chocolate
2 tbsp / 30mL heavy (35%) cream

For the topping
sliced strawberries
aproximately 2-3 tbsp / 30-45mL balsamic vinegar or Grand Marnier

dark chocolate to drizzle (optional)
whipped cream (optional)

How-To:

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F / 175 degrees C

Whip the butter until creamy, then add the sugar and continue whipping until combined. Measure on top of the butter, the flour, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Mix with the butter and sugar mixture until well combined.

The texture will be crumbly and dry so make sure it’s of uniform colour and that there’s no dry ingredients left at the bottom of the bowl.

If using a pie plate: spoon all dough into the plate and chill (in fridge or freezer) until very cold

If using tart tins: divide dough equally between tins and chill in fridge or freezer until cold.

When chilled, use a chilled spoon or your hands and press the dough evenly into the plate or tins — return to freezer as necessary (I did this on a hot day, it might not otherwise be necessary). It’s easier to spread the dough when it’s very cold.

Bake until dry to touch and edges are beginning to brown. Approximately 18 minutes for the tarts, longer for a pie crust.

To fill the crust:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and add the cream. Stir to combine.

Pour  chocolate mixture into baked crust(s). (If making tarts, divide evenly).

Place strawberries in a bowl, and toss with balsamic vinegar or Grand Marnier. Immediately begin arranging the slices on the chocolate — start at the outside and work towards the centre.

Optional: melt more chocolate and drizzle on top (this is your chance to get in touch with your inner Jackson Pollack).

Also optional: top with a dollop of whipped cream prepared to your liking.

Enjoy!

Notes:

You can make the tarts crusts and freeze them unbaked for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use, simply let them defrost at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then cook as above. Fill with whatever you want!