Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Tuesdays with Dorie—La Palette’s Strawberry Tart

La Palette's Strawberry TartLa Palette is a small café in the heart of Paris that offers (among other things) wine by the glass, salads, croque monsieur, and this delicious but easy strawberry tart. Dorie Greenspan once ate this tart on the patio and then recreated the recipe for her book Baking: From My Home to Yours.

This recipe is super easy: strawberries, jam, and a cookie crust are the only requirements. The rest are optional.

Top
I used a homemade strawberry, peach and lavender jam that I made last summer. On the weekend, I found the strawberries at a local market, and they happened to be locally grown! Perfect.

I’ve been saving a Framboise I picked up at Puddicombe Estate Winery in Southern Ontario last year, so I had the makings of a 100-mile dessert. After practicing last week with flambéing, I did it again this week with the strawberries and Framboise. It added an extra flavor boost to the berries.

Bottom
The tart shell is simple too, and one that I’ve made before for The Most Extraordinary Lemon Tart. It’s a firm crust, more cookie than pastry that holds up well as finger food. I rolled it out on the removable bottom of the tart pan with a sheet of wax paper on top. Then I lifted the bottom and placed it carefully in the ring and patched the sides as needed.

Side
Following Dorie’s advice, I made a crème fraiche using the recipe I’ve used before from this article to serve alongside the tart.

Recipe

La Palette's Strawberry Tart mise en placeYou can find the recipe for La Palette’s Strawberry Tart in the book Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan or at Serious Eats. To see how the rest of the TWD group fared with this week's recipe, click here and then click on each blogger! Thanks to Marie of A Year in Oak Cottage who chose the recipe for this week.

StrawberriesTasting Notes
I loved how simple this recipe was. Using the freshest berries you can find is the key. As well, not filling the tart shell until absolutely necessary is important. We didn’t finish the tart, and although it tasted fine the next day, the crust was a little soft and the berries more mushy. I like how some other TWD bloggers made them as individual tarts and filled them on demand (as the recipe suggests). That’s the way to go with this recipe. My daughter who loves pies commented that she wished this tart were a pie so that there would be more crust—maybe a Strawberry Napoleon is next!

Recipe for Next Week (June 17)
Peppermint Cream Puff Ring on pages 290-292 chosen by Caroline of A Consuming Passion.





43 comments:

Engineer Baker said...

Strawberry, peach, and lavender jam sounds fabulous! How'd you make it?

Shari said...

Caitlin (engineer baker) - You set the commenting standard so high by commenting first and on so many people's blogs! I appreciate that you take the time to leave a comment. You're a sweetie.

As for the jam, I didn't provide the recipe 'cause I just followed the package on the Certo box! And then threw in a couple of peaches and a sprinkle of lavender. Not too original when you use the package instructions I thought, but it tasted good. Thanks for asking! - Shari

Anonymous said...

Great idea to flambe the strawberries... and that jam sounds AMAZING! Yum!

Bumblebutton said...

Thanks for the jam recipe--I was going to ask you for it and there it was! Loved your photos--guess you guys love strawberries as much as we do!

Jules Someone said...

What a gorgeous tart! I love the idea of the jam.

Anonymous said...

I'll bet that jam is incredible. I'll bet the flambéd strawberries were incredible. Your tart looks incredible. :)

April said...

Your pictures are wonderful, and I'm drooling over the description of your jam!

CB said...

Gorgeous photos and love the way you write! Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

Anonymous said...

That jam sounds fabulous. We finished the whole tart but I was wondering if it would hold up. Thanks for the helpful info.

ostwestwind said...

The jam sounds delicous!
Ulrike from Küchenlatein

Lori said...

Oh man I want that jam recipe! It sound so good.

Great pics- you are very good with the camera.

PheMom said...

Great job on the tart and your pictures are gorgeous, as always!

Anonymous said...

Oh, the jam caught my attention. I have no experience making preserves. They're like magic to me. ;)

kimberly salem said...

gorgeous pics!! the homemade jam sounds delicious :)

Lynne Daley said...

Your homemade jam sounds great! I love that you made the entire pie not just a slice. Lovely photos, as usual.

Piggy said...

wow, your homemade jam sounds interesting! Yummy looking tart, by the way!

vibi said...

Shari, your pictures are great, especially the top ones and I love how you've displayed the recipe (over pictures)!
Great job!
Now... I hope you've made enough of that jam to have a swim in it! I sure would think about if I were you! LOL

Amy said...

Your tart looks fabulous! Thanks for the jam recipe.

Heather B said...

yum! Your jam sounds sounds delicious! And your tart looks sooo tasty!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

what a beautiful looking tart, and that homemade jam sounds incredible!!

Tammy said...

the jam sounds divine! all those strawberries looks great too - especially as we are in the depths of winter down here and a strawberry is about 5 months away!

Christine said...

Oh your jam sounds fabulous! I am going to have to try the recipe on the Certo box! Your tart is gorgeous!

Annemarie said...

That jam sounds amazing!!!

Anonymous said...

gorgeous photos. i know everyone is commenting on the jam and I have to also, because it does sound awesome.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, your jam sounds amazing! And your tart looks perfect. :)

Susie Homemaker said...

oh, i need that jam...my mother would think I was a genius! Beautiful job once again!

Anonymous said...

Yum yum! This looks great!!! The taste of strawberries is always so summery!

BTW: When I am on your blog and go down to read the comments, I see something strange - comments are sort of on top of each other, it's just so hard to read. I had to look carefully find the Leave a response link. Is that happening only with my computer? Just wanted to let you know.

Anonymous said...

strawberries are my favorite, and i think you made a new favorite way to eat them...with fancy jam + creme fraiche! lovely photos and beautiful food as always...you're awesome! [good luck with your future lemon bars!]

Anne said...

That jam sounds amazing! The photos are beautiful too. :)

Anonymous said...

Great pictures, great, great jam. I'm so glad you liked the tart.

Mari said...

This is my favorite recipe so far, for it's simplicity. You can't get more beautiful then a gorgeous piles of sliced strawberries, can you?

Mari said...

Not only a talented baker and photographer, but a jam maker too?! Can't wait to see some of your jam making posts!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Shari, I love your photos! They always look amazing. And with those great red berries, even better!

Liliana said...

Your tart looks so delicious. Your jam sounds great with the peaches and lavender! Great photos.

Linda said...

I've never made home made jam...I think it's the canning process that intimidates me. Your combination of strawberry, peach and lavender sounds divine and it's inspiring me to try making some at home...any tips for a first timer?

Beautiful photos and a wonderful write-up!

Jacque said...

Mmmm... yummers! Your pictures are fabulous! Makes me want strawberries right now.

noskos said...

Fabulous pictures!! Makes me want a slice!!

Shari said...

Thanks to everyone for dropping by! I am flattered and astonished that Dorie left a comment! I am honored, pleased, ecstatic! It made my week!

The jam is so simple to make. I get the jam-making bug in the Summer and Fall when everything is so fresh. It's so magical to turn fresh fruit into jam. We actually don't eat a lot of it, but my dad must go through a jar every couple days so it's nice to make for him. Wish he lived closer!

Linda - It's not too hard to make jam. Once you get the jars clean and sterilized, you're off. The biggest part of the job is preparing the fruit! Crabapples are the worst! Raspberries are the easiest. I make sure to test a spoonful in the freezer to ensure it gels before taking it off the stove. After filling the jars, I get a pot of boiling water going and "can" them to ensure they're sealed. Again, not hard, just a bit time consuming. Hope you try it out. It's so satisfying to see jars all lined up, plus they make great gifts. Peach and passionfruit was another great flavor combination I made last year. Good luck with it!

Prudy said...

Shari:
Your blog is just gorgeous! I love the header with the whisk. I read about your bechamel before I scrolled down to the tart. It looks phenomenal on the asparagus. And your tart! Lavendar jam! You're even getting Dorie's attention. Congrats!

Chez Us said...

I love your photos for the tart - great little colleage. Your jam sounds fantastic!

Dolores said...

Your "hundred mile dessert" is gorgeous. And I'm with many of the other commenters that your strawberry/peach/lavender jam sounds great!

Unknown said...

Beautiful tart! The jam sounds delicious!

Jaime said...

mmmm your photos make me want to go back and make this again!