Desserts
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[Photograph: Sarah Baird]

A free-form strawberry tart flavored with thyme and drizzeled with a mint syrup.

Note: The key to success with this tart is a counter-intuitive one: do not use strawberries that are at their ripest. These strawberries contain more water than is necessary for the tart, and will leave you with a soggy bottom crust. Instead, use still firm strawberries, which will soften during baking.

About the author: Sarah Baird is a writer, editor, and petit four aficionado living in New Orleans, Louisiana. She likes planning elaborate dinner parties surrounded by her collection of dwarf citrus trees. You can read her latest musings and about her various misadventures on her website: hellosarahbaird.com or follow her on Twitter: @scbaird.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: Makes one 9-inch free form tart
Active time: 45 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Special equipment: rolling pin, food processor, pastry wheel, knife, cutting board

Ingredients

  • For the Crust:
  • 3/4 cups (about 3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) butter (softened)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  •  
  • For the Filling:
  • 1 1/2 cups strawberries, washed, stemmed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoon corn starch
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
  •  
  • For the Glaze:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 4 sprigs mint
  • 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
  •  
  • To Assemble:
  • 1 egg white
  • Large-grained cane or demerara for sprinkling

Procedures

  1. For the Crust: Using a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, salt, thyme, and butter. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, pulsing between each addition, until all eggs are incorporated and dough is crumbly but pliable.

  2. Remove dough from food processor, knead several times on a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before use or up to three days.

  3. For the Filling: Toss sliced strawberries in small bowl with sugar, corn starch, thyme, and lemon juice until strawberries are evenly coated.

  4. For the Glaze: Stir sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar completely dissolves. Raise heat to medium-high and cook until the mixture can coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add mint extract and mint sprigs. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan and discard solids. Leftover glaze can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

  5. To Assemble: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough with a rolling pin on lightly floured surface, cut a 11-inch circle with a small knife or pastry wheel.

  6. Arrange strawberries in center of the dough, layering until about 1-inch from the edge. Fold dough towards the center over the outer edge strawberries, creating pleats in the crust. Brush crust with egg white and dust with cane or demerara sugar. Bake until tart is firm around the edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, drizzle with glaze while still warm, and serve.