Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

Annnnnnnnnnnnd the next part of our strawberry-picking day is baking strawberry goodies. And that includes our second item strawberry cream cheese tart. This one was baked with Zoey and her expertise in baking really helped us get through all of steps. What a triumph baking this with her. She taught me so many techniques and things to look for :)

Ingredients:

For the crust: (makes one double 9 inch crust pie or 2 tart shells)
2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup crisco shortening

1 large egg

2 tbsp cold water

1 tbsp white vinegar

For the ganache:
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. milk or cream

For topping:
Fresh strawberries, sliced (approximately 12 oz.)
Melted bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, for drizzling (optional)

Procedure:

1. To make the tart shell, combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut room temperature Crisco into flour with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is uniform and the shortening resembles like peas. Beat egg, water and vinegar together to blend in a separate bowl. Pour all of the liquid evenly over the flour mixture. Stir with fork until mixture is moistened. Divide dough in and shape each into a ball approximately 4 inch or 10 cm. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill dough for 15 minutes for easier rolling.

2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  (If refrigerated for more than an hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable.)  Unwrap and roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch round.  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan.  Mold the dough to the sides of the tart pan and remove the excess off the top.  Set the dough-lined tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to middle position.  Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet, press a 12-inch square of foil into the frozen shell and over the edge, and fill with pie weights.  Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time.  Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil and weights.  Continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5-8 minutes longer.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4. To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan.  Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate.  Let sit 1-2 minutes to melt the chocolate.  Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms.  If there are still bits of unmelted chocolate, microwave in 10 second intervals, whisking in between, until the ganache is completely smooth.  Whisk in the butter.  Spread the ganache in a thin even layer over the bottom of the cooled tart shell.  Allow the ganache to set before proceeding.

5. To make the filling, beat together the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl on medium-high speed until smooth.  Blend in the vanilla and milk or cream.  Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled ganache in the tart shell.

6. Starting from the outside and working toward the center, place the sliced strawberries in concentric circles slightly overlapping each other.  Gently press the berries into the cream cheese mixture to help keep them in place.  Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.  Chill until ready to serve.

Adapted from Annie's Eats and Zoey's baking book

Thoughts:
1. Delicious!!! I wish it is a bit sweeter... so maybe the top decorative chocolate should be semi-sweet chocolate and not bittersweet chocolate?
2. I tried it at room temperature, I have a good feeling that when it is cold it will taste even better :D