Here is a fairly simple recipe to prepare that will be perfect with the arrival of the warmer days: strawberry and mint tartlets on a breton shortbread base. They’re made up of a breton shortbread, a strawberry jam (but you could very well make a little strawberry confit), a mint chantilly cream and fresh strawberries.
In the same spirit, I had already published a strawberry tart recipe, also with a breton shortbread base. It’s fairly simple to make, no need to line the tartlets with pâte sucrée, and the breton shortbread brings crunch and indulgence
What if I don’t like mint?
Strawberry really goes very well with mint. Personally, I love the freshness it brings to this dessert. But if you’re not a mint fan and you still want to use a fresh herb, I recommend basil, another happy pairing!
And if you’re really not a fan of this kind of combination, then you can simply make a vanilla chantilly cream. It will also be very good!
Ingredients & method
3 components · Full recipe
Mint Whipped Cream (to start the day before)
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) whole liquid cream
- 30 g (1.1 oz) mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- a handful of mint leaves
Method
1
The day before, finely chop the fresh mint then steep it in the cream. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
2
The next day, strain the cream to remove the mint leaves then pour the liquid cream and mascarpone into the mixer bowl and start whisking first at low speed then at medium speed.
3
Add the icing sugar and continue whisking to obtain a firm whipped cream.
4
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle of 10–12 mm diameter and refrigerate while waiting for the assembly.
Breton Shortbread
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 130 g (4.6 oz) caster sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz) softened butter
- 200 g (7.1 oz) flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 sachet of baking powder
Method
1
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar to obtain a smooth, pale mixture.
2
Add the softened butter and mix with a spatula to smooth everything together.
3
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder over the previous mixture. Mix with a spatula.
4
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out with a rolling pin between two sheets of baking paper to obtain a thickness of about 4 to 5 mm.
6
Cut out the tart bases using an oblong ring cutter. Leave the tartlet ring on each disc of dough.
7
Bake for about 20 minutes. Once out of the oven, leave the Breton shortbread to cool on a rack. You will most likely have dough left over (I don't like working with very small quantities). You can bake more Breton shortbreads (perfect with coffee) or you can freeze the remaining dough.
Assembly
Ingredients
- some strawberry jam (or red berry jam)
- 250 g (8.8 oz) strawberries
- fresh mint leaves
Method
1
Spread a line of jam along the full length of the Breton shortbread, right in the centre.
2
Pipe small balls of whipped cream all around the edge of the tart then gently place pieces of strawberries.
3
Add a few mint leaves. Refrigerate while waiting to serve.
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