02 July 2013

Strawberry Lemon Tartlets





Hello! what's about your summer? July has started and I can imagine lot of you are already maybe on vacation or at least enjoying some relaxed days, the blogger world starts to be little bit quieter. I'm enjoying this week in Barcelona with my family and I have a good news to tell you, I've won the monthly price of La Cuinera. The chanllege of June was a "healthy recipe". So I had not doubts I was going to present a smoothie and what a surprise my green smoothie became the winner. If you don't know the blog of La Cuinera I encourage you to visit her site where you will find wonderful recipes, tricks and expiriences of a real cook.

Today I show you some tartlets I did few weeks ago, I used strawberries to decorate but certainly you can add any fruit you wish. I love vanilla pastry cream but with lemon flavour is absolutly delicious. You can make the custard with lemon instead vanilla but I rather add some lemon curd once the pastry is cooled.



INGREDIENTS makes 4 tartlets of 8 cm or a 24 cm one
Vanilla Pastry Cream
1 cup milk 
1/2 tbs vanilla extract or vanilla bean 
2 large egg yolks 
50 g sugar 
15 g cornstarch  

Bring the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until starts boiling. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Whisk egg yolks until smooth and reserve. Put sugar and cronstarch in a saucepan and add gradually the milk mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thikens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.  Whisking constantly to prevent curdling, slowly pour one-third of milk mixture into egg yolks. Pour mixture into remaining milk in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil and is thick enough.  Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Before using whisk to soften slightly.

For the curst (recipe adapted of Martha Stewart)
160 g all-purpose flour
20 g sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
a pinch of salt
100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg yolk

Beat de egg yolk in a separate bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer on a medium speed about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add flour, cocoa and salt, continue mixing and finally add the yolk and process until mixture just begins to hold together. Shape dough into a disk, and warp in plastic and refigerate 1 hour up to 2 days. Can also be freezed up to 3 months.

Preparation of Tartlets:
On a floured surface, roll out dough and fill the tart pans. Trim and pierce bottoms with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180ยบ. 
Bake until edge are golden, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and continue baking until crusts are golden brown over, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Mix the custard with some tablespoons of lemon curd. Fill tart shells halway with pastry cream and top with sliced strawberries. Serve immediatley or refrigerate up to 2 hours.





I'm so excited because on saturday I'm going to assist to a culinary photography workshop of Balance de Blancos, next post I will tell you my experience.

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Have a nice week 

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