Queensland Strawberry Tart

The beautiful strawberries I picked myself

When I was about 15 years old growing up in Toowoomba I got my first job picking strawberries.  I'll admit I was terrible at it.  I hated the 5am starts (so did Dad who drove me)  and I ate more than I handed in which meant I didn't earn much.  Needless to say it didn't last long but it did give me an appreciation for fresh in-season strawberries.  I wanted to give my kids the strawberry picking experience so yesterday we drove up to the Glasshouse Mountains where Batavia Berries allowed us to pick our own Strawberries.  With bucket in hand we set out along the perfect neat rows of plants in search of ripe juicy strawberries.  It wasn't hard,  the plants were laden with fruit. Before long (and a few taste tests later) we each had an overflowing bucket so it was back to the shed to weigh and pay.  We paid $10 per kilo which is about what you'll pay in the shops right now but with the one important difference -  each and every berry is in perfect condition plus the added satisfaction of having picked them yourself.

My son Angus picking strawberries at Batavia Berries

The Queensland strawberry season stretches from May to October with peak produce available now (late June,early July).  There are about 200 strawberry growers in Queensland and most of them are on the Sunshine Coast. You'll find Batavia Berries at 9 Kings Rd, Glasshouse Mountains or click here for a list of other 'Pick-Your-Own' growers.

Batavia Berries, Glasshouse Mountains, Qld.

When we got home with our haul of perfect strawberries they were still warm from the sun and so fragrant it was difficult not to sit down and eat the lot.  I decided to make a french style berry tart because you don't actually cook the strawberries allowing their full fresh flavour shine through.  The following recipe is made up of 3 parts - Sweet shortcut pasty, Creme Patissiere (custard) &  jam glazed fruit.   You can use any recipe for each of these but I chose to use Julia Child's recipes from her first book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 

My Queensland Strawberry Tart

French Strawberry Tart

1. Sweet Short Pastry

2/3 cup plain flour
1 tbs sugar
1/8 tsp salt
5/12 Tbs butter (Julia recommends 4 Tbs Butter & 1 1/2 tbs vegetable shortening but I couldn't find the shortening so used all butter)
2 1/2 to 3 Tbs cold water
1/2 cup of strawberry or apricot jam


Julia Child details both a hand mixed and a blender mixed method of making short pastry.  I opted for the blender option this time which is as follows:

 Measure dry ingredients into blender fixed with metal blade.  Pulse to combine. Chop the butter into cubes and add to the combined dry ingredients.  Pulse the food processor until all the butter is combined and takes on the consistency of bread crumbs.  Add half the water while the motor is running and add more if needed to form a ball of dough.  Now the pastry should form a mass around the blade. Do not over mix it.  Turn out on to a floured surface and give the pastry a final blend with your hands.  The french call this 'frisage' and it helps by working the gluten in the flour to make it more malleable.  Shape it into a ball sprinkled with flour, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (over night is ideal and it will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge).  Because of the high butter content it is important to work quickly and on a cool surface.  Marble or granite bench tops are ideal but not necessary.  Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin.  Knead it into a flat shape that resembles the shape of the pie or flan  tin you are using.  In my case it is a long rectangle.  Roll a shape about 2 inches larger than the size of you pan and until dough is 1/8 inch thick.  Butter the pie/flan tin. Roll well floured pastry on to your rolling pin then place and unroll over your pan being careful to lift the pastry so it fits neatly into the corners of the pan.  Work the pastry gently into the corners of the pan .  Trim of excess by rolling the pin over the top of the pan.  (Click here for a You Tube demonstration) Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice and spread evenly.  This will ensure that the pastry holds it's shape while baking (blind baking) Bake at 180 C for 6 mins. until the dough is set.  Remove the beans and lining.  Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork in several places and bake for 8 - 10 minutes more.  Your pastry should have a nice light golden colour. Allow to cool.

Once cooled heat some strawberry or apricot jam in a saucepan over gentle heat and brush hot jam on the inside of the cooked pastry shell.  This forms a waterproofing to the pastry preventing it from going soggy too quickly.  Keep the left over jam to glaze the strawberries later.

2. Creme Patissiere
(French custard filling the same as a creme anglaise but with added flour)

1 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup plain flour
2 cups of boiling milk
1 tbs Butter
1 1/2 Tbs Vanilla Extract ( Black Pearl's Pure Vanilla Paste is excellent)

Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks and continue beating for 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and forms a ribbon of mixture when you hold up the beaters/whisk. Beat in the flour.  While whisking pour on the boiling milk in a thin stream.  Once combined pour this mixture into a saucepan and set over a moderately high heat.  Stir with a whisk being careful to cover the entire base of the pan to avoid the mixture sticking.  As the sauce comes to the boil it will turn lumpy but will smooth out as you beat it.  When boiling point is reached cook for a further 2-3 mins to cook the flour.  Be careful custard does not scorch on the bottom of the pan.  Remove from the heat and beat in butter and vanilla.  Set aside to cool.

3. 20-30 Strawberries of uniform shape.

Wash in cold water then hull ( do not hull first as this allows water to get into the berry)

Assemble

Take pastry case brushed with jam and fill with cooled creme patissiere to 1/2 cm below the top of the pastry casing.  Smooth to level.  Arrange strawberries in  a uniform way on top of the creme patissiere.  I used a 25 x 12 cm flan pan and my strawberries were quite big so I arranged them in rows of 3 as pictured. 

Reheat the jam adding a few drops of water if needed and brush over the strawberries with a pastry brush.  This will give them a beautiful gloss finish. You may refrigerate for a short time but make sure you serve within a couple of hours to ensure pastry does not go soggy.

For more information on Queensland Strawberries and other recipes click here.

Fleur