Every summer, after going strawberry picking, I get into a baking frenzy. How many ways can I use 5, 10, 20 lbs of berries? 20 is a lot but sometimes I get carried away in the fields. The obvious answer is jam, but I try to use the berries fresh or uncooked because they’re already so ripe and naturally sweet that it seems like a waste to cook them down.
I came up with this tart about 4 years ago. After graduating from pastry school, I tried my hand at dessert catering. A couple of my initial requests were for tarts. I love adding cheese to desserts, whether it’s cream cheese or mascarpone, because it adds a nice tang that then allows for sweeter ingredients to shine.
Whether it’s cheesecake, ice cream, or the loaf from Starbucks (I want the recipe!), pumpkin is one of my favorite ingredients in the fall and winter seasons. This year, I decided to try something different and serve up creme brûlée in mini pumpkins. I’m a sucker for individual presentation and these couldn’t be any cuter!
I spent 3 hours making pasta last night and had the brilliant idea of making a tart this morning, before work. Looking back, I think I needed the pastry fix because pasta was way out of my comfort zone. It was truly the first time I’ve done it from scratch and while fun, I definitely need more practice. This recipe is my ode to yellow peaches. I prefer them over white because I love the tartness. To finish, I whipped up one of my go-to topping, mascarpone cream.
