Scottish Strawberry Tarts
When it comes to summer baking treats, is there anything better than a home made Scottish strawberry tart?
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 175 g Butter or Block Margarine at room temperature
- 65 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 250 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour)
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- 250 g Strawberries hulled & halved
- 100 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 50 ml Water
- 1 tbsp Corn Flour (Corn Starch)
For the Filling:
- 300 ml Double Cream (Heavy Cream)
- 12 medium-large Strawberries hulled
Instructions
For the Pastry:
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter/margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and mix to create a soft dough, using your hands to bring it together when necessary. Gently knead the dough on a clean surface to ensure it is completely combined, before wrapping the dough in cling film and placing in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up a little.This is a good time to prepare the Strawberry Sauce (instructions below).
- Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 and 350°F). After 30 minutes, remove your dough from the fridge. Grease a 12-hole cup bun tray with a little butter/margarine and set aside.
- Roll your dough to about 5mm thick and using a round cutter which is a little bigger than the cups on your bun tray, cut 12 circles. Carefully transfer each circle to your pre-greased tray, gently ensuring no air is caught underneath each and pressing the bottom and edges into place.
- Prick a few holes into the bottom of each pastry cup, before lining them (I used a paper cupcake case for lining) and filling with some baking beans. Bake for about 15 minutes, remove the baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes, until the pastry cases are golden in colour. Allow to cool completely before adding the fillings.
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- Place the strawberries and sugar into a large pan. Whisk the water and cornflour together in a cup/bowl to create a slurry, then add to the pan too. Bring the mixture to a boil, before reducing to a simmer. Allow the mix to simmer for about 20 minutes, until the strawberries have macerated and are falling apart.
- Allow your strawberry mixture to cool a little, before straining it through a sieve into a bowl; to remove the pulp and seeds. Let your sauce cool completely before using. If you find your sauce is a little thick when it comes to using, simply add a little boiling water to thin it out.
For the Filling & Finish:
- In a large bowl, whip you cream until you have medium-stiff peaks. Add a spoonful of cream to the bottom of each pastry casing.
- Place a strawberry on top of the cream in each pastry casing, before spooning a little strawberry sauce of the top of the strawberries, allowing it to drizzle down onto the cream below. Repeat with all the other tarts.
- Transfer your finished tarts to the fridge to allow the sauce to set a little. Keep in the fridge until serving.
Notes
- You can use a ready-roll pastry for your strawberry tarts if you wish - simply start the recipe from step 2.
- Some Scottish food producers do offer a ready-made strawberry tart sauce/glaze, if you'd prefer to use that. Alternatively a strawberry ice cream sauce could also be used, or a watered down jam.
- If you struggle getting the right consistency when whipping double cream, use whipping cream instead.
- Due to the fresh cream, store your finished strawberry tarts in the fridge and eat within 48 hours.
