Strawberry Tarts Barefoot Contessa Recipes

STRAWBERRY TARTS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times, or until the butter is in the size of peas. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough and fit into 4 (4 1/2-inch) tart pans with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pans or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of each pan. Line the tart shells with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill them with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil, prick the bottom of the shells all over with a fork, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
• Before serving, fill the tart shells with the pastry cream. Arrange the berries decoratively on top of the cream. Melt the apricot jelly with 1 teaspoon of water and brush the top of the tarts. Sprinkle with pistachios, if using, and serve.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.
• With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Don't be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes; the custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding. Stir in the vanilla, Cognac, butter, and heavy cream. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

RASPBERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Butter one side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Spread the tart with raspberry preserves and place the raspberries, stem end down, in concentric circles. If you are making a square tart, place the raspberries in rows. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Stir with your hand to be sure the ingredients are combined. In a 2-cup glass measure, combine the milk, eggs, and melted butter. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture, pour the wet mixture into the well, and stir until just combined. There will be some lumps but don't overmix the batter! Add the strawberries and sugar and stir gently to combine.
• Using a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into the muffin cups to fill the liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean and the tops are nicely browned.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES, DECONSTRUCTED

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream in a measuring cup and, with the mixer still on low, add to the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
• Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough 1/2 to 5/8 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Dip a 2-inch plain round cutter in flour and cut 16 to 18 biscuits. Place on the sheet pan, brush the tops of the biscuits with the egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. Cool on the pan.
• To serve, toss the strawberries with 1/3 cup of sugar and the Grand Marnier in a medium bowl. Place the berries in 6 martini glasses, top each with a dollop of whipped cream, and serve with 2 or 3 shortcakes on the side.

STRAWBERRY TARTS (BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times, or until the butter is in the size of peas. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the dough and fit into 4 (4 1/2-inch) tart pans with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough. Cut off excess (roll pin on top). Line with buttered aluminum foil, fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil, prick the bottom, bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Before serving, fill the tart shells with the pastry cream. Arrange the berries decoratively on top of the cream. Melt the apricot jelly with 1 teaspoon of water and brush the top of the tarts. Sprinkle with pistachios, if using, and serve. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch. With mixerl on low, slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture. Pour into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. When the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle, switch to and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla, Cognac, butter, and heavy cream. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

STRAWBERRY TARTS

Steps:

• To Make Glaze: Blend the sugar, cornstarch, and salt; stir into apple juice. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and thick. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Spread a small quantity of the glaze over the bottoms of the shells. Arrange washed and hulled fresh berries over the glaze, slicing if necessary to fit into the tarts. Spoon remaining glaze carefully over the berries, covering them well. Chill for 2 to 4 hours. Serve garnished with whipped cream if desired.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S BROWNIE TART

Steps:

• Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a bowl set over simmering water.
• Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips, remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate melts.
• Set aside to cool completely.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cooled chocolate.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the walnuts.
• Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just combined.
• Pour into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is puffed (the top may crack).
• The inside will still be very soft.
• Cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the tart pan.
• Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with the heavy cream and drizzle on the tart.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S STRAWBERRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.
• Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour and butter mixture. Combine until just blended.
• Toss the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly.
• The dough may be a bit sticky.
• Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick.
• You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles.
• Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Brush the tops with egg wash.
• Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.