Strawberry Tarts

These easy strawberry tarts are the perfect spring dessert, and are made with puff pastry, mascarpone whipped cream, and glazed fresh strawberries.

This post is sponsored by Wewalka.

Several years ago, my best friend and I hopped on a plane and flew to Paris.

We strolled down the Champs-Élysées, explored the underground catacombs, visited the Musée d'Orsay, got lost on the wrong Paris commuter train, ate French crêpes with friends, and gazed longingly through the windows of each and every pâtisserie (pastry shop) we passed.

In particular, I remember the strawberry tarts.

They glistened, pretty and pink, calling to me from the street. "Eat me!" they whispered.

Over the years, I've thought a lot about those strawberry tarts. But homemade French pâtisserie is slightly (majorly) outside my baking skill level, and the thought of making those tarts from scratch seemed overwhelming.

But recently, I had an idea. A delicious idea.

Traditionally, French strawberry tarts are made with pastry dough. Instead, I decided to make my tarts with delicious, buttery puff pastry.

I grabbed my favorite Wewalka puff pastry, and started dreaming up an easier version of my favorite French strawberry tart.

I used Dorie Greenspan's "Easy Fruit Tart," from her book Baking: From My Home To Yours, as inspiration for this simplified tart.

Why did I choose Wewalka's puff pastry?

For one, it's delicious. It poofs well, is golden and flaky, and uses high-quality ingredients.

And second, it's so convenient! It comes refrigerated, not frozen, so you don't have to wait on the dough to thaw.

Guys, I never remember to thaw frozen dough. It's a real problem.

I also love that their dough comes wrapped in oven-safe parchment paper, so I don't need to flour my work surface or cut my own parchment paper. It makes me feel a little spoiled, and I like that.

(As of 2022, Welwalka is now "Jus-Rol".)

Bake the Puff Pastry Shells

Start by cutting the sheet of puff pastry into eight rectangles, or use a circle biscuit cutter to cut out circular tarts. When I make round tarts, I use these biscuit cutters.

Use a butter knife to draw a border around the outside of each tart, and then poke the center of the tart with a fork.

Brush the border with an egg wash.

Next, bake the tarts until they're golden.

The middle of the tarts will probably poof up just like the rest of the tart, but the border and holes will make it easier to deflate the middle after baking.

When the tarts are done baking, press a spoon on the center of each tart to deflate the middle and create an indentation. That's where the creamy filling will go!

Set the tarts aside to cool.

You can make the tarts up to a day before serving.

Make the Whipped Filling

Next, you'll make the filling. Start by placing a glass bowl in the freezer until it's cold to the touch.

When the bowl is cold, add mascarpone cheese, heaving whipping cream, and a little powdered sugar to the bowl. Mix it with an electric mixer until it's creamy and smooth.

Can't find mascarpone? Swap it for ricotta (like this homemade ricotta!) or cream cheese.

Store the whipped mascarpone until you're ready to serve the pastries. You can make it the day before serving (just like the puff pastry).

Assemble Strawberry Tarts

When you're ready to serve, spoon the filling into the tarts.

If you want, add some chopped pistachios and fresh herbs to the whipped topping.

I use pistachios and thyme or mint, but feel free to play around with different nuts and herbs.

Add sliced strawberries to the tarts.

I like to fan them out so they look extra pretty.

Heat up a little strawberry jam, and brush it onto the berries.

If you're out of jam, or are in a hurry and don't want to glaze the berries, simply dust the tarts with a little powdered sugar.

Finally, stand back and look at your pretty tarts. Aren't they just the prettiest?

Serve the strawberry tarts right away, and bon appetit!