Strawberry Devonshire Tart - Your New Go-To Summer Dessert!

 

True Confessions here. I am one of those people who doesn't eat strawberries any other time of the year other than during fresh local strawberry season.  I cannot abide the idea of paying a fortune for substandard berries that always disappoint.

I would rather wait all year and then get to enjoy some really delicious ones in season.  Nothing tastes better than a locally grown berry, freshly picked, with the warmth of the sunshine still on its flesh and bits of straw clinging to its leaves! I cannot get enough of them!

One thing that I like to make at least once during strawberry season is this fresh Strawberry Devonshire Tart.  The recipe comes from a Volume of the Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery that came out in the late 1970's. It is a fresh and tasty dessert that my family always enjoyed during Strawberry season.

 It boasts a lovely, crisp melt-in-the-mouth all-butter pastry base.  This gets filled with a rich cream filling that is then topped with a layer of fresh berries and a sweet fresh berry glaze. The three together are a delicious combination of crisp, buttery, creamy, sweet and fruity strawberry deliciousness!!

It is very simple to make and always goes down a real treat with family or friends. You can serve it as is, cut into wedges, or topped with some softly whipped cream.  I guarantee nobody will be turning down a slice of this fresh and tasty dessert!

    WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE STRAWBERRY DEVONSHIRE TART

Fresh berries of course, and a few baking staples and refrigerated ingredients. It's simple really.

For the pastry:

• 1 cup (125g)g of plain flour
• 1 TBS sugar
• 6 TBS (86g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten together with 1 TBS ice water

For the cream filling:

• 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, full fat
• 3 TBS (23g) dairy sour cream, full fat
• 1 TBS (8g) icing sugar, sifted

For the berry topping:

• 1 1/2 Quarts (900g) strawberries
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar (in the U.K. use castor sugar)
• 3 TBS (29g) corn starch (corn flour)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cold water
• few drops red food coloring

.

This is not the time to use low fat ingredients. Use full fat all the way for this once-a-year treat!  Full fat cream cheese, full fat sour cream. 

I like to use the freshest berries for this and will often make the tart on the same day that they are picked.  I like to use medium to small sized berries for this. They have the best and sweetest flavor.
 

Do use the food coloring if you want a pretty deep red color. Otherwise, you can leave it out. It has no effect whatsoever on the taste of the dish.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY DEVONSHIRE TART

This is really quite simple to make. It only looks complicated!

Make the pastry first. Put the flour and sugar into a food processor. Blitz to combine. Drop in the butter, cut into bits. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

With the motor running on low, add the egg yolk mixture a bit at a time to combine.

Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a flat round. Wrap with cling film and chill for about half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Have ready a 9-inch tart tin with a removable bottom. Place it onto a baking sheet.

Roll the pastry out between two sheets of cling film/plastic wrap in a round large enough to line the tart tin. (about 12-inches)

Remove the top piece of cling film. Lower the pastry down into the tart tin, centering it.

Gently ease it into the corners all around. Pull off the cling film gently and press the pastry into the pan. Trim off any excess by rolling a rolling pin across the top of the pan. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake for 15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Cool completely before proceeding.

 

Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and icing sugar together until smooth and well combined. Spread on the bottom of the baked tart base.

Wash and hull the berries. Reserve 1 cup of berries for the glaze and then place the remainder in an even round covering the cheese mixture, pointed sides up. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the glaze.

Mash the remaining berries. Push through a sieve into a saucepan. Mix in the sugar and corn flour.

Add the cold water, whisking everything together to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture is clear and thickened.

Allow to cool slightly. Whisk in a couple drops of food coloring.

Pour this mixture evenly over top of the berries in the tart. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

A FEW OTHER STRAWBERRY DESSERTS TO ENJOY

Love strawberries? Since I only eat fresh berries when the local ones are ripe and ready in early summer, I use them as much as possible. Here are a few other strawberry recipes that I enjoy!

MABEL'S STRAWBERRY PIE - This is an old recipe that I got from one of my friends named Mabel many years ago. Bursting with ripe and juicy strawberries, tucked into a crisp and buttery pie shell. A sweet strawberry glaze is made in the microwave. Fresh berries are folded into this when done for a double dose of strawberry goodness. Poured into a baked pie shell and then chilled.  Delicious cut into wedges with a nice dollop of whipped cream on top of each slice!

TRADITIONAL ETON MESS -  A cloud of softly whipped cream folded together with juicy fresh berries and crushed meringues. This traditional dessert is a real favorite during berry season. Easy to make, every spoonful provided a delicious contrast of flavors and textures. Lush rich cream, sweet berries and crunchy sweet meringue.  It's the perfect no-fuss summer dessert.

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Yield: one 9-inch tart

Author: Marie Rayner

Strawberry Devonshire Tart

This is a must make every summer.  Crisp pastry, with a creamy filling topped with sweet berries and a delicious glaze. Fabulous!

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 1 cup (125g)g of plain flour
• 1 TBS sugar
• 6 TBS (86g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten together with 1 TBS ice water

For the cream filling:

• 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, full fat
• 3 TBS (23g) dairy sour cream, full fat
• 1 TBS (8g) icing sugar, sifted

For the berry topping:

• 1 1/2 Quarts (900g) strawberries
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar (in the U.K. use castor sugar)
• 3 TBS (29g) corn starch (corn flour)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cold water
• few drops red food coloring

Instructions

1. Make the pastry first. Put the flour and sugar into a food processor. Blitz to combine.
2. Drop in the butter, cut into bits. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. With the motor running on low, add the egg yolk mixture a bit at a time to combine.
4. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a flat round. Wrap with cling film and chill for about half an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Have ready a 9-inch tart tin with a removable bottom. Place it onto a baking sheet.
6. Roll the pastry out between two sheets of cling film/plastic wrap in a round large enough to line the tart tin. (about 12-inches)
7. Remove the top piece of cling film. Lower the pastry down into the tart tin, centering it.
8. Gently ease it into the corners all around. Pull off the cling film gently and press the pastry into the pan.
9. Trim off any excess by rolling a rolling pin across the top of the pan. Prick all over with a fork.
10. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Cool completely before proceeding.
11. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and icing sugar together until smooth and well combined. Spread on the bottom of the baked tart base.
12. Wash and hull the berries. Reserve 1 cup of berries for the glaze and then place the remainder in an even round covering the cheese mixture, pointed sides up. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the glaze.
13. Mash the remaining berries. Push through a sieve into a saucepan. Mix in the sugar and corn flour.
14. Add the cold water, whisking everything together to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture is clear and thickened.
15. Allow to cool slightly. Whisk in a couple drops of food coloring.
16. Pour this mixture evenly over top of the berries in the tart. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

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