...grab your picnic blanket and head outdoors
There’s something rather pleasing about dining al fresco on a freshly mowed park grass, with the weather looking to be sunnier by the day: it’s time to start our early spring picnics.
To celebrate picnic season and park life that we all love we asked Pastry Chef Juliana Pascal to create for us a recipe full of spring feel.
Here, we share Juliana's Strawberries in Bloom Tartlets for you to practice your baking skills.
Oh! Don't forget the bottle of fizz in the fridge... Cheers hun!
STRAWBERRIES IN BLOOM TARTLETS
Serves 8
You'll need:
8- 8cm tart tins or rings
8- 5cm silicone half sphere moulds
SABLÉE PASTRY:
180g plain flour
90g cold unsalted butter in cubes
70g caster sugar
25g almond flour, sifted
1g salt
38g eggs
For pastry finishing: 25g of melted cocoa butter (or coconut oil)
STRAWBERRY GEL:
240g of fresh strawberry puree
72g caster sugar
10g lemon juice
10g leaf gelatin
200g clear topping glaze
STRAWBERRY CREMEUX:
130g ripe strawberry puree
3g lemon juice
45g caster sugar
3g leaf gelatin
125g double cream (fresh and cold)
TART FINISHING:
200g fresh sliced strawberries
Q.B. of mirror or nappage glaze
Edible flowers
METHOD:
*SABLÉE PASTRY:
1. To make the pastry, measure the flours, salt, sugar and butter into a processor and with the racket at low speed, whiz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in the eggs, then bring together into a smooth dough.
3. Transfer the dough to a box with lid or wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1hour.
4. Roll out the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper until is 2 to 3mm thick. Line the tart tins or rings and then chill in the fridge for 1hour.
5. Transfer the tarts to the freezer for 30 minutes before baking.
6. Prick the bottom of your tarts with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 160ºC, for about 20 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown.
7. Remove and brush cocoa butter (or melted and warm coconut oil) all over the inside to waterproof them. Set aside to cool.
*STRAWBERRY GEL:
1. Put the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and leave it.
2. Place the strawberry puree, sugar and lemon juice into a pan and set over a low heat. Stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 80ºC.
3. Turn off the heat, squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and add them to the hot strawberries mixture. Stir until dissolved.
4. Place the strawberry gel into eight silicone half sphere moulds, about 30g in each mould. Freeze.
*STRAWBERRY CREMEUX:
1. Put the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and set aside.
2. Place the strawberry puree, sugar and lemon juice into a pan and set over a low heat. Stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 80ºC.
3. Turn off the heat, squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and add them to the hot mixture and mix well until is completely homogeneous.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
5. Whip the double cream to soft peaks. When the strawberry mixture reach 32ºC, add 2 large tablespoons of the whipped cream to the strawberry and gelatine mixture and stir in gently. Carefully fold in the rest of the cream until the mixture is smooth and light.
6. Immediately pour into the 8 tartlets bases, filling them to the edge. Place in the fridge or freezer until well set and firm.
FINISHING:
1. Thinly slice the strawberries. Spread a little mirror or nappage glaze in a bowl and gently wrap the strawberry slices in the gel.
2. Remove the strawberry gel half spheres from the moulds. Gently coat them with clear topping glaze. Place one half sphere on top of each tart center.
3. Place the strawberry petals around de sphere.
4. Finish with mirror or nappage glaze and edible flowers.
Strawberries and flowers are a Spring classic but feel free to try it with raspberry or other berry you like. They are all absolutely delicious!
Meet our bff & Chef: Juliana Pascal
Originally trained as a lawyer by the Mackenzie University, Juliana soon found herself chasing the fragrance of freshly baked bread and tarts to the Superior Course of Technology in Confectionery and Bakery at the Anhembi Morumbi University in São Paulo.
Graduated as a pastry chef, she went to the US and studied Artisanal Bakery at the San Francisco Baking and in Confectionery at the École Valrhona in New York.
After that she went to Italy and specialised in Gelato Manufacturing at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, and in Bakery at the Centro di Ricerche and Svilupo Agugiaro & Figna in Padova.
Back in Brazil, she studied Flour Technology at ITAL in Campinas. She has been teaching baking & confectionery classes for over 12 years at several universities, training courses and institutions in the gastronomy area. Juliana also advises and trains at a corporate level.
Models: Ginebra Cañas and Vera Gottert
Photographer: Dafne De La Fuente
Recipe and food pics: Juliana Pascal
Vera wears: Esther Camisole and Koi bag
Ginebra wears: Customisable Coco Beret and Koi bag
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