This Italian strawberry crostata brings collectively a buttery pastry crust with a lightweight, creamy filling and contemporary seasonal strawberries. It’s a fruity dessert that’s excellent for summer time.
This Italian strawberry crostata is a kind of desserts that feels gentle and contemporary for hotter days. In contrast to a extra conventional crostata with a pastry prime, this model is left open and stuffed after baking, just like my mushy, cake-like strawberry crostata.
The filling is what units it aside. As an alternative of simply pastry cream, jam, or a lemon curd like my lemon crostata, it combines pastry cream with evenly sweetened whipped cream for a texture that’s ethereal, easy, and never too wealthy. Completed with sliced strawberries, every chew is nice and filled with taste.
Why I Love This Recent Strawberry Crostata
- Gentle and creamy with out feeling heavy: The pastry cream and whipped cream make the filling easy and delicate.
- A real Italian crostata: Made with a structured crust, not a free-form galette, however completed open for a gentler really feel.
- Good for summer time fruit: The strawberries are added contemporary, in order that they maintain their brilliant taste and don’t bake down like a jammy strawberry pie filling.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: Utilized in each the crostata dough and pastry cream. Spoon and stage when measuring to keep away from a dense crust or gluey filling.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens each the dough and the pastry cream.
- Baking powder: Provides the crostata dough a barely lighter, extra tender texture.
- Eggs and egg yolks: Utilized in each the dough and pastry cream. Carry to room temperature in order that they combine extra simply and create a smoother filling.
- Butter: Used within the crostata dough. Ought to be mushy sufficient to press your finger into simply so it incorporates evenly.
- Milk: Kinds the bottom of the pastry cream together with the heavy cream. Complete milk provides one of the best outcome.
- Heavy cream: Used within the pastry cream and whipped cream. Must be not less than 30% fats or it received’t whip correctly. Maintain it chilly earlier than whipping.
- Vanilla extract: Flavors each the pastry cream and whipped cream.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the whipped cream. Sift earlier than including so it blends in easily.
- Strawberries: Thicker slices are most popular. Thinner slices launch an excessive amount of juice and might make the filling watery.
How one can Make a Strawberry Crostata
First, make the pastry cream so it has time to sit back. Warmth the milk and cream simply till sizzling, then slowly whisk it into the egg yolks and sugar, cooking gently till thick and easy. It ought to coat the again of a spoon with out feeling heavy.
Switch to a bowl, cowl straight on the floor, and refrigerate till utterly chilly.
Whereas the cream chills, put together the crostata dough. Combine the dry substances, then add the egg and yolk with the softened butter, working it collectively till a mushy dough varieties. It ought to really feel easy and barely tender, not agency like a pie dough. Chill briefly, then roll out and line pan.
Blind bake the crust till evenly golden and set. A totally baked base is what retains the filling from softening it later.
Let it cool utterly earlier than including something on prime.
Whip the cream with vanilla and powdered sugar till stiff peaks kind.
Fold it gently into the chilled pastry cream till easy and totally mixed. Don’t rush or overmix right here, you need to forestall deflating the whipped cream and shedding that gentle, ethereal texture.
Unfold the filling into the cooled crust, smoothing it evenly to the sides.
Prepare the sliced strawberries excessive in a barely overlapping layer, working from the skin in for a extra even look.
Chill the crostata for not less than 5 hours earlier than serving, in a single day is even higher. That is what units the filling and makes slicing clear. Serve chilly, when the filling is agency and the strawberries are at their freshest. Any leftover cream and strawberries will be served as a parfait!
recipe ideas
- In case your pastry cream seems lumpy, don’t panic. Push it by way of a wonderful mesh sieve whereas it’s nonetheless heat and it’ll easy proper out.
- Don’t skip the complete chill time. Reducing into it too early is the simplest strategy to damage the presentation. If the filling hasn’t set, it would spill reasonably than slice.
- For a firmer filling, bloom a tablespoon of gelatine in 2 tablespoons of heat milk, let it dissolve over low warmth, then fold it into the pastry cream combination earlier than combining with the whipped cream. You can even swap the whipped cream for this stabilized whipped cream with mascarpone for a filling that holds its form even longer.
- Pat your strawberries dry earlier than arranging them on prime. If they’re particularly ripe and juicy, a fast pat with a paper towel prevents extra moisture from seeping into the filling.
- The dough makes sufficient for 2 crusts. Freeze the second half to your subsequent crostata or use it to make these lemon stuffed cookies.
Variations
- Add some citrus. A teaspoon of lemon zest stirred into the pastry cream provides a brilliant be aware that enhances the strawberries superbly.
- Totally different fruits. Raspberries, peaches, or blended berries all work properly instead of or alongside the strawberries.
- Chocolate drizzle. A light-weight drizzle of melted darkish chocolate over the strawberries earlier than serving provides a pleasant distinction.
- Totally different filling. Strive swapping the pastry cream for this lemon pastry cream or this strawberry pastry cream for a unique taste twist.
This Strawberry Crostata is a wonderful strategy to have a good time contemporary berries and traditional Italian baking. Made with my buttery Italian crostata dough and crammed with a lightweight and creamy Chantilly cream, it’s the proper dessert for spring and summer time gatherings. Whether or not served for an important day or a easy household dessert, every slice combines a crisp pastry shell, luscious cream, and candy strawberries for an irresistible deal with everybody will love. Buon Appetito!
PASTRY CREAM
- ¾ cup milk (complete or 2%)
- ¾ cup cream whipping/complete/heavy cream (not less than 30% fats)
- 4 massive egg yolks (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar or wonderful sugar
- 2½ tablespoons all goal flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
CROSTATA DOUGH
- 1¾ cups all goal flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 massive egg (room temperature)
- 1 massive egg yolk (room temperature)
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons butter (room temperature) (10 tablespoons or 141 grams)
FOR THE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup cream complete, whipping or heavy cream not less than 30% fats content material
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons icing/powdered sugar (sifted)
EXTRAS
- 1 pound strawberries sliced (thick)
FOR THE PASTRY CREAM
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In a medium pot, warmth over low the milk and cream to sizzling, don’t boil. Take away from warmth and let cool to heat.In a medium pot whisk collectively the yolks and sugar, add the flour and vanilla and whisk to mix.
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Place the pot over low / medium warmth, slowly add the nice and cozy milk/cream combination, whisking constantly till thickened, you’ll want to prepare dinner till thickened or you should have a runny pastry cream. It ought to have a silky texture.
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Pour the new pastry cream right into a warmth resistant glass or ceramic bowl, cowl the floor of the cream with a bit of plastic wrap (ensure wrap touches the cream combination) and refrigerate not less than 2-3 hours earlier than utilizing.
CROSTATA DOUGH
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Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C), grease and flour an 8 inch- (20 cm) pie dish.
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In a big bowl or meals processor, gently whisk collectively flour, sugar and baking powder, create a properly within the center and add the egg and yolk and softened butter minimize into items. Combine collectively, at this level flip combination onto a barely floured floor and work the combination to kind a mushy dough (if dough could be very dry then add an additional tablespoon or two of soppy butter if too moist add a bit extra flour, though the dough must be softer then normal).
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Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for half-hour. Take away from fridge and knead the dough a few instances to melt it up once more on a evenly floured floor. Divide the dough in half and roll one by one to ⅛” thickness. Place within the tart pan.
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Place within the tart pan. Prick the underside of the crust properly with a fork. Cowl the underside of the crust with parchment paper and add dried beans or pie weights on prime, bake for about 20 minutes (if pie isn’t baked, then bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes with out the beans). Take away from the oven, take away the paper and beans, let cool utterly earlier than including the filling.
FOR THE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM/FILLING
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In a big bowl beat the cream and vanilla till mushy peaks kind, sift within the powdered sugar and beat till stiff peaks kind. Gently fold the pastry cream into the whipped candy cream till utterly mixed. (In order for you a firmer filling see notes for including gelatine). Cowl the bowl and chill till prepared to make use of.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
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Unfold the whipped cream/filling within the baked cooled pie crust, prime with the sliced strawberries, cowl with plastic wrap and chill for 5-6 hours or in a single day. Take pleasure in!
The crostata dough recipe will make a 2 crust pie, the additional dough will be both frozen or used to make stuffed cookies.
Retailer lined within the fridge for as much as 2–3 days. Finest served inside a day or two of assembling, because the strawberries can launch juices and the crust will soften over time. Don’t freeze.
Energy: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 8g | Fats: 35g | Saturated Fats: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 9g | Trans Fats: 0.5g | Ldl cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1351IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 191mg
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