Strawberry and Cream Tart with Pistachio Shortcrust Pastry

Today I’m bringing you a dessert that signals warm weather and summer afternoons. This strawberry and pistachio tart is a very easy no-bake tart to make, and it will have you serving up something truly impressive. The baked shortcrust base, crisp and just the right amount of sweet, offers the perfect contrast to the silky texture of the custard cream and the slightly tangy note of the strawberries.

Pistachio is the star guest in this tart. We add it ground in with the other ingredients for the shortcrust pastry to get a slightly sandier, more delicate texture. It also adds a toasted, highly aromatic note that pairs beautifully with the strawberries. And chopped over the top before serving, it gives the tart a delicious final crunch.

This strawberry and pistachio tart looks divine in tartlet form. So if you have small molds, you can try making it as individual portions. Either way, it’s a delicious dessert I encourage you to try while strawberry season is in full swing.

Ingredients

Ingredients for the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 150 g butter
• 90 g icing sugar
• 90 g pistachio flour (very finely ground pistachios*)
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch of salt
• 250 g plain flour

Note: Simply add 90 g of pistachios to your food processor like the KitchenAid P2, or to a mortar, and grind until you get a flour-like texture.

Ingredients for the custard cream

• 350 ml milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 70 g sugar
• 30 g cornstarch
• 25 g butter
• 1 vanilla pod

To decorate the tart

• Chopped pistachios
• Strawberries cut into pieces or slices

Preparation

Preparing and baking the sweet shortcrust pastry

1. Put the butter in the bowl of your KitchenAid food processor and attach the flat beater or the pastry beater. Beat until creamy.
2. Add the sifted icing sugar and pistachio flour. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
3. Add the egg and mix again until fully incorporated.
4. Finally, add the sifted flour and mix just enough to combine it.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour.
6. Once the time is up, take the dough out of the fridge and lightly flour your work surface.
7. Roll out the dough ball until it is about 3-4 mm thick, using a rolling pin or the De Buyer manual dough sheeter.
8. Using a ring, cut out a disc of dough and place it on the base of your De Buyer perforated tart pan.
9. Cut strips 4 cm wide and place them against the sides of the pan. Gently press to join the strips to the base disc, so the pan is fully lined. Remove any excess dough from the edge of the pan with a knife or by rolling the pin over the top.
10. Place the pan in the fridge for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160º C.
11. When the time is up, bake the tart base for 20 minutes at 160º C.
12. Remove the base from the oven when you see the pastry is cooked through and let it cool on a wire rack.

Preparing the custard cream

1. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise (without cutting all the way through) and scrape out the seeds.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and add the seeds and the vanilla pod.
3. While the milk heats, mix the cornstarch and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg yolks and mix well to combine everything. .
4. When the milk starts to boil, pour it over the egg-yolk mixture while whisking quickly.
5. When everything is well mixed, pour it back into the saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. As soon as you see it start to thicken, keep stirring and let it cook for one minute.
6. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly before adding the butter. Stir so it melts and fully blends into the cream.
7. Pour the cream into a wide tray and remove the vanilla pod. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and let it cool at room temperature. Let it chill in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.

Assembling the tart

1. Using a whisk, stir the custard cream so it regains its creamy texture.
2. Pour all the cream over the tart base, which should also be cold. Level the cream with a spatula.
3. Place the sliced strawberries over the custard cream, covering it completely.
4. Put the tart in the fridge and let it chill for at least one hour.
5. Before serving the tart, sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top.