Strawberry tart gluten-free #recipe from @DarylWoodGerber

From Daryl aka Avery:

A couple of weeks ago, Sheila shared a strawberry tart. Loved it!  This one is gluten-free, and since I can't resist strawberries, I'm going to share a recipe with you, too. One can't have too many tarts hanging around, right?  OOPS. I mean, tart recipes! :)

Back in my young years, I used to be an excellent pie maker. I’d make them all summer long, when we would make blackberry and peach pies and stick them in the freezer. Yes, we had a freezer. It was one of the most incredible things. I loved doing it. I mastered at a pie crust.

Now that I’m gluten-free, making pies has sort of lost its charm. Making a gluten-free crust is nothing like the old way. Gluten-free flours don't have that stick-togetherness quality that gluten-enriched flour has, and I MISS IT. Yes, I can add xanthan gum, but it's not the same.

Pooh!

That said, I still love pie, and though it’s a challenge to make a gluten-free crust, and even though it “looks” bad (unless you buy a premade crust, frozen, from Whole Foods, which looks great and tastes great), this homemade version is delectable. Whew!  

So...if you can get past the looking "good" thing (I'm a perfectionist; this is hard for me!), and if you want to make your own, this one is a good fit. It tastes great. Using parchment paper makes it easier to roll out, and then it all gets hidden by the pie filling anyway.

STRAWBERRY TART

GLUTEN-FREE

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

For the crust (regular & gluten-free option):

1 stick cold butter, cut into pea size pieces

1/4 cup sugar (*I used raw sugar)

1 1/4 cup regular or gluten-free flour, plus extra for rolling dough (depending on your dietary needs!)

1 egg yolk

Pinch of salt

2 to 4 tablespoons cold water (I used 4)

For the tart:

1/4 cup white sugar

3 large egg yolks

4 tablespoons cornstarch 

1 1/4 cups milk (whole or 2%)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Jam Glaze: (optional)

1/2 cup apricot jam or strawberry jam

1 tablespoon water

Topping:

3 cups strawberries

Special equipment needed:

1 pound dried beans or rice

Parchment paper

10-inch tart pan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the dough:

Put the butter, sugar, flour, egg yolk and salt in a food processor and pulse for 30 to 60 seconds or until the mixture has a grainy consistency. Add half of the water and pulse the food processor 2 to 3 times. The dough should start to come together. If desired, add the remaining water. (I did!) Check the consistency by clenching a small handful in your fist. If the dough stays together it is the proper consistency. If not, pulse the dough with a little more water. When the dough has reached the right consistency, set it on parchment paper that has been dusted with flour (or gluten-free flour, depending on your needs!) Dust with more flour (GF flour). Top with another piece of parchment paper. Flatten slightly using the heel of your hand. Put the entire thing into a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready:  Set the dough, including parchment paper, on a clean work surface. Roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/4-inch in thickness between the paper. Peel off the parchment paper and roll the dough gently into a tube. Then lay the dough in the tart pan, unrolling as you go. Push the dough into the sides of the tart pan. Roll dough over the top edge of the tart pan, then cut the extra dough from the pan. (You need this extra bit because the dough will shrink when it bakes.) Cover the dough with parchment paper and gently poke holes in the paper. Fill the tart shell with the dried beans or rice and place in the preheated oven.

Set tart pan on cookie tray.  (Some of the edges will fall off onto the cookie tray). 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the parchment and beans/rice and bake for 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove the tart shell from the oven and cool. The dough should be golden and crisp.

For the custard:

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together.

Add the cornstarch to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.

Next, in a saucepan bring the milk and vanilla to a boil, just until the edges bubble. Remove from heat and add slowly to the egg mixture. Now pour the egg-milk mixture into a FRESH medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. Whisk for another 30 - 60 seconds until it becomes thick. Remove from heat. Pour into a clean bowl and VERY IMPORTANT cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool to room temperature.

To construct the tart:

Heat the jam and water in a small saucepan in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds on medium-high. Brush half of the jam over the bottom and sides of the baked tart shell to prevent the crust from getting soggy. Let the glaze dry (about 20 minutes). 

Remove the tart from the fluted sides of the pan by placing your hand under the pan and gently pushing the tart straight up. Neat trick: the fluted tart ring will fall away and slide down your arm. Set the tart pan on a flat surface and the tart ring in the sink.

If you want to remove the bottom of the pan, run a knife or thin metal spatula between the crust and metal bottom, then slide the tart onto your platter. But this isn’t necessary.

Next, spread the cooled to room temperature pastry cream onto the bottom of the tart shell. Place fruit on top of cream or in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge. Using the remaining jam, brush the fruit with a glaze.

Refrigerate the tart, but bring to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers but there won't be any.

Note: (Sheila said the same thing: this can get mushy by morning.)