Pistachio and Strawberry Tartelettes

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As soon as there strawberries in the market, I can’t resist and take a full bag home, without even thinking about what to make with it. I eat strawberries on a daily basis whenever it’s strawberry season, but also love to make desserts with these red, luscious fruits.

These pistachio and strawberry tartelettes combine strawberry mousse and pistachio cream and are simply one of the best. A short crust pastry filled with baked pistachio cream, strawberry mousse and shiny pink glaze on top. It’s festive and will make your guests say WOW.

Pistachio and Strawberry Tartelettes

Photo: Natalie Levin



Pistachio and Strawberry Tartelettes

For short crust pastry:

  • 280 grams all-purpose flour
  • 125 grams cold butter (cut into cubes)
  • 125 grams sugar powder
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1-2 tbsp. cold milk (as needed)

For pistachio cream:

  • 100 grams cold butter cut into cubes
  • 100 grams sugar powder
  • 60 grams almond meal
  • 60 grams natural pistachios
  • 10 grams cornstarch
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp. pistachio paste

For strawberry mousse:

  • 5 grams gelatin powder
  • 25 ml. water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 50 grams sugar
  • 290 grams strawberry puree
  • 100 grams soft butter
  • 250 ml. heavy cream
  • A little red food coloring (optional)

For the pink glaze:

  • 9 grams gelatin powder
  • 45 ml. water
  • 50 ml. water
  • 100 grams sugar
  • 100 grams glucose or corn syrup
  • 70 ml. milk
  • 100 grams white chocolate
  • Red food coloring (to taste)

Decoration:

  • Roasted pistachios (very finely chopped)
  • Fresh strawberry cubes

Short crust pastry:

  1. In a food processor with a steel blade put flour, butter, sugar powder, vanilla and salt and process until mixture is crumbly.
  2. Add egg and continue to process just until large clumps of dough form. If the dough is not setting, gradually add a little milk.
  3. Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands.
  4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
  5. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface about 3-4 mm thick and cut out circles about 8-9 cm in diameter. Line the tartelette molds. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
  6. Using a fork pierce the crust of each tartelette. Freeze the tartelette crusts for about 30 minutes before baking.

Pistachio cream:

  1. In a food processor with a steel blade put butter, sugar powder, ground almonds and pistachios and blend until mixture is crumbly.
  2. Add cornstarch, egg and pistachio paste and continue to blend until you get a uniform and stable cream.
  3. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
  4. Fill the frozen tartelette shells with pistachio cream up to 3/4 of its height.
  5. Bake for about 15-22 minutes or until the dough is golden and cream is set and slightly cracked.
  6. Cool completely at room temperature.

Strawberry mousse:

  1. Mix gelatin and water in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature until the gelatin absorbs all the liquid.
  2. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks and sugar into a smooth mixture.
  3. Meanwhile, boil strawberry puree.
  4. Pour about 1/3 of hot strawberry puree into the egg mixture while whisking until mixture is smooth.
  5. Transfer the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining strawberry paste and continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 82-84c degrees.
  6. Dissolve the gelatin in the microwave and add into the cream. Then add butter and whisk until incorporated and smooth.
  7. Strain the cream and cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. If you want, you can add food coloring at this stage.
  8. Whip cream to soft peaks and fold gently into the strawberry cream.
  9. Pour the strawberry mousse into dome shaped silicon mold and level off the top with a spatula.
  10. Freezing for about 2-3 hours or until it is completely frozen.

Pink glaze:

  1. In a medium bowl mix gelatin and 45 ml of water and set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature until the gelatin absorbs all the liquid.
  2. In a medium saucepan put 50 ml of water, sugar and glucose and heat to a boil.
  3. When the mixture boils, add in the milk and mix well.
  4. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in the microwave or over double-boiler.
  5. When boiling again (after adding the milk), add in the gelatin and mix until melted.
  6. Strain and add into the melted chocolate. Wait a minute, and beat until melted and mixture is smooth.
  7. Add in red food coloring until you reach the desired shade.
  8. Cool the glacage to 30c degrees.
  9. Extract the frozen strawberry mousse domes from the mold and place on a rack.
  10. Pour the glaze, coating the sides and the top of each individual mousse.
  11. Place a coated strawberry mousse dome on top of each tartelette and chill for 5 minutes to set.
  12. Decorate with finely chopped pistachios and small strawberry cubes and serve.
  • Keep the tartelettes in a sealed box in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
  • You can use raspberry instead of strawberry.

Pistachio and Strawberry Tartelettes

Photo: Natalie Levin

Pistachio and Strawberry Tartelettes

Photo: Natalie Levin

Pistachio and Strawberry Tartelettes

Photo: Natalie Levin