Strawberry fields forever...
Sablé Breton Tart with California Strawberries and Mascarpone Cream
This tart gives off the vibe of a showstopper, but it’s quite simple to make. The base is a classic French sablé breton, rich with salted butter and just sandy enough to shatter delicately under a spoon. Without a doubt, one of my favorite French creations.
Sablé Breton is from Brittany, in the northwest of France, where salted butter is practically a way of life. Traditionally baked as thick, round cookies or bar-style slabs, it has a sandy, tender crumb, and I think it works great as a tart base. It requires no tart pan and no blind baking.
So this tart is, in fact, just a tender, big golden cookie topped with a soft cloud of mascarpone cream and a mountain of the most beautiful California strawberries I could find. I used strawberries from Carlsbad, a small coastal town that I visited often for almost five years while I lived neighboring it in Oceanside. They are famous for their berries, which famously taste of sunshine: sun-warmed, fragrant, intensely sweet. These strawberries don’t need much, of course, so I keep them whole, piled high and close together, like a crown.
You can make everything in advance, but wait to assemble it just before serving so the shortbread stays crisp and perfect.
I find a subtle, graceful Frenchness in this recipe’s simplicity: its rich buttery base, soft vanilla cream, and fruit that speaks for itself. And I am so pleased to share this recipe with you. I can assure you this isn’t a dessert you’ll want to make just once.
This recipe was made in partnership with CA Grown, who generously sponsored this post. As always, the recipe, ideas, and creative touches are entirely my own.
Serves 6–8
Bakes in a 9-inch (23 cm) tart ring
Shortbread
1⅓ sticks (150g) European-style salted butter, softened
½ cup (120g) granulated sugar
3 egg yolks (about 60g)
1 ⅔ cup (200g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon (7g) baking powder
Strawberries & Cream
800 g CA strawberries
¾ cup (200g) heavy whipping cream, very cold
½ cup (120g) mascarpone cheese, cold
½ cup (40g) icing sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste or ½ vanilla bean, scraped
Any other flavoring you'd like, such as lime zest or kirsch, for example.
In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon or spatula to beat the softened butter and sugar together vigorously until the mixture becomes pale and thickened. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes and helps incorporate air for a tender texture.
Gradually add the egg yolks (ideally at room temperature, so they incorporate properly) to the creamed butter and sugar. Stir well to combine until smooth and fully incorporated.
Sift together the flour and baking powder, then gently fold them into the wet mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough to keep it tender.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and shape it into a disc about 1.5 to 2 cm (roughly ½ to ¾ inch) thick. Wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest the gluten.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Take the chilled dough and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper until it’s slightly larger than 9 inches (about 23 cm) in diameter.
You can use a tart pan or, as I do, simply use the ring from a springform pan; most people have one tucked away. Place the ring directly over the dough and either press down to stamp out a perfect circle or trim around the inside with a knife. Remove the excess dough around the edges, but leave the circle of dough on the parchment. Bake it just like that, with the ring holding its shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet, no blind baking, no special equipment needed.
Bake the tart base for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is set but still slightly soft. Let it cool completely in the pan before removing.
To make the cream, in a large bowl, combine cold heavy cream, mascarpone, icing sugar, and vanilla. Whisk gently by hand until soft peaks form, smooth, light, and airy without becoming grainy.
Once the shortbread base is completely cool, top it with the mascarpone cream. I like to pipe the cream around the edges first, working from the outside in, which gives a bit of structure and elegance. Then, using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, I gently spread the remaining cream into the center, smoothing it just enough to cradle the berries. There’s no need for perfection here; what matters is softness and intention
Rinse the strawberries and simply cut off the green tops, no need to slice or hull them deeply. I like to keep the berries whole and upright, choosing ones that are similar in size when possible. Then, just before serving, I gently nestle them into the cream, standing tall and close together, like a little red mountain rising from a cloud.
The tart is quite rich, so don’t hold back on the strawberries. I sometimes add a first layer of sliced strawberries underneath. It looks so pretty peeking through the cream and gives each bite a juicy, fresh burst. Then I pile the whole berries on top, and if my strawberries are on the smaller side, I go for a second layer. No one’s ever complained about too many strawberries.
This tart is best when assembled and served right away so the shortbread stays crisp. You can prepare each component in advance, but for the best texture and presentation, wait to put it all together just before serving.
The baked shortbread base can be made up to 2 days ahead. Once cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
So pretty I wanna paint it