[Ingredients]
400g strawberries – wash and pat dry
Bread flour – for dusting
Gelatin and water 1:1 – for glazing
Chopped pistachio
[Tart]
100g cake flour
2g salt
6g caster sugar
50g butter
1 egg yolk
2tsp water
[Almond Buttercream]
50g softened butter
45g icing sugar
1 egg
8ml cherry brandy
6ml rum
50g almond powder
[Custard Sauce]
1 egg yolk
20g caster sugar
9g cornstarch
100ml milk – warmed/room temp
1/4tsp vanilla essence
[Steps]
Tart: Sift flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut butter into cubes and add in. Mix butter in until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the center, add in yolk and water. Mix well.
Transfer dough onto worktop and knead for 3-4 times.
Place dough in a ziplock bag and chill for 1hr.
Almond butter: Place butter in a mixing bowl and whisk till loosened. Whisk in sugar.
Gradually whisk in beaten egg.
Mix in brandy, followed by sifted almond.
Transfer mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Remove dough from fridge and roll it out to a thickness of 2-3mm. Using a 10cm round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as possible.
Place cut-out dough into tart moulds, gently pressing it to the sides of the mould. Remove excess dough.
Prick the bottom of the tarts using a fork. Fill tarts with almond butter till 80% filled. Bake in a preheated oven of 170degC for 30-35mins.
Custard: Whisk yolk and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk in starch.
Mix in milk and vanilla, sieve custard into a pan. Heat over medium fire, whisking continuously until it starts to bubble and thicken.
Pour custard into a mixing bowl and chill covered.
When the top of the tarts have turned golden brown before baking is done, adjust to bottom heat only and continue baking.
Let cool completely. Spread custard on tarts and arrange strawberries on top – 1 whole berry in the center, 5 halved berries surrounding it.
Cook gelatin and water 1:1 until boiled and glazed over strawberries. Sprinkle pistachio bits over.