I saw a picture of this in Good Housekeeping and had to make it.

 

chop up some chilled unsalted butter, or use salted butter that wasn’t all that chilled like I did. But work quickly so the butter doesn’t get too soft.

 

Cut the butter into flour, sugar and pinch of salt until the butter pieces are tha size of small peas.

 

Add some vanilla

 

and ice water by tablespoons so you don’t put too much water in. Use a fork, spatula, hand to gather the dough together. I use a combination of all the above.

 

Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more.

 

Roll the dough out and find a plate the size that will fit on your baking sheet as a guide to trim a circle.

 

With your fingers bend the edges in and out to make fluted edges. Then pop into the fridge to chill for 10 minutes or so while the oven heats.

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until edges  start to get golden brown.

 

Mince some candied ginger. Do not laugh at my cutting board! It broke in half and works just fine for small things.

 

Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and ginger.

 

When the crust has cooled spread a layer on. 1/4”, 3/8” or so.

 

Arrange strawberry halves, larger ones on the outside stand them up, stem end down at an angle on the cream cheese mixture.

 

If the berry halves are too big, trim them a little.

 

Serve immediately. Or make ahead, but not too far ahead or the berries will be sad.

 

Any scrap crust you have  make into mini tarts.

 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

adapted from Good Housekeeping’s Strawberry cream cheese tart recipe

Ingredients

 The crust

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons ice water

combine flour, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar. Add butter and cut into flour mixture until butter pieces are the size of small peas. Add vanilla, then ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, gather together with a spatula. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

On  floured surface roll dough into 8or 9-inch round. Using a plate as guide, and with sharp knife, cut  round from dough; discard trimmings. Reroll trimmings and make mini tarts.

Transfer rounds, to cookie sheet. Press one index finger against outside edge of dough round; with index finger and thumb of other hand, push dough around fingertip toward center to form a flute. Repeat around edge to make a decorative border. Refrigerate or freeze, on cookie sheet, about 10 minutes to firm dough slightly.Preheat oven to 375 degree F.

Bake dough 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Cool crust completely on cookie sheet on wire rack, about 20 minutes.

The cream cheese topping

• 3 tablespoon(s) confectioners’ sugar,
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, each berry cut lengthwise in half

When crust is cool, in medium bowl,  mix cream cheese, sour cream, crystallized ginger, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until blended. Spread cream cheese mixture on crust. Arrange strawberries, wide ends down, in concentric circles in cream cheese mixture to cover.

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