Super
strawberry
tarts
INGREDIENTS - CRUST
1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
INGREDIENTS - FILLING
8 ounce soft cream cheese 1/4 c. sugar 1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 small lemon 2 pounds strawberry, cut in half
1/4 cup apricot preserves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the crust, put the flour, butter, ⅓ sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse for about a minute, until moist crumbs form. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom, or divide it evenly among four 4-inch tartlette pans. Press the dough evenly into the pans and up the sides (you can dip your fingers in flour beforehand to keep them from sticking). Press the dough firmly into place, and freeze the crusts for about 15 minutes, until firm. Use a fork to prick the crusts all over. Then bake them until golden, about 18 to 23 minutes for tartlettes, 25 to 30 minutes for one large tart. Check on the crusts occasionally during baking and press them down gently with a spoon if they puff up. Cool completely. To make the filling, mix together the cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, and mix to combine. Spread the mixture evenly on the bottom of the baked crusts (still in the tartette pans). Then, starting from the outside edge, arrange the strawberries, stem side down, in tight circles on top of the cream cheese. Heat the apricot preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until liquid. Gently brush the strawberries with preserves, and let them set for at least 20 minutes. Chill the tartlettes in their pans for at least 1 hour. Remove them from pans just before serving.