TWD: Made so fast your head will spin!

If you are a TWD'er, or even just a lurker, you know that the next week's recipe is usually posted on Monday, the day before we post our previous weeks' recipe. Last week, the day before we posted our French Brownies, Marie chose for us La Palette’s Strawberry Tart to make for the next week, and post about today.

I had my tarts made, and completely eaten, by Monday evening. How fast is that?

I decided I preferred small sized tarts to a large one. They allow for each person to personalize their serving, and well, they just look so cute!

Turns out I had everything I needed in my pantry, so I just got to it and started in, putting my little sous chef to work shelling pistachios to add to the tart dough. (Eventually I had to jump in and help him get my 3/4 cup - he was eating more than he was putting into the bowl.)


Oh, btw, the nut ban in our house if OVER!!! Some of the Daring Baker's might recall in December we had conflicting allergy test results for our oldest son, who tested allergic to peanuts, but because he was eating peanut butter regularly, the allergist considered the test contaminated but would not follow up. He even said to keep him away from peanuts, then added in, "But keep feeding him peanut butter." A second opinion with a different allergist included a blood test as well as the skin test, both coming up negative. So nuts are back allowed into our house again!

And as a result, the first tart that the children ate had peanut butter, mixed in with a spoonful of icing sugar to smooth it out, in the bottom of their pistachio tart shells, instead of strawberry jam. Both asked for seconds (which my 9 year old assembled himself, putting both peanut butter and strawberry jam in this time.)

Personally, I do not like peanut butter, and did not feel a need to put any on my tart. The crispy, cookie like tart stood up well to a generous spoonful of strawberry jam, loaded with strawberries, sprinkled with black pepper, and topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream. I ate two. My husband ate two. And before you knew it, they were gone.

I fully plan to make these again. I loved the pistachio in the dough, with the flecks of green, though I recall liking this dough just fine plain as well. I can see making these tarts even smaller, filling them with a chocolate ganache and then topping it with strawberries and cream. Such an elegant and pretty, but simple dessert.

Great choice Marie!

And now I need to go find where I left my book so I can look up the latest recipe!