Deconstructed Strawberry Tart with Matcha Cream Recipe

Strawberries in syrup

• 1L water
  
• 20g caster sugar
  
• 4 candied verbena leaves
  
• 240g of fresh or frozen strawberries
  

Puff pastry

• 80g puff pastry
  
• 8g icing sugar
  

Matcha cream

• 240g white chocolate
  
• 800ml double cream
  
• 21g matcha (green tea powder)
  

Garnish

• 2 white meringue cookies
  
• 4 candied verbena leaves

Strawberries in syrup
- Make a simple syrup with the water, sugar and candied verbena leaves. Let cool.
- Slice strawberries in quarters and place in a nonreactive bowl. (If using frozen strawberries, let them thaw slightly before slicing.) Cover with cooled syrup.
- Cover the bowl tightly and let the fruit macerate 24 hours in the refrigerator or a minimum of 2 hours in a sous vide bag.
- Hermetically sealed, strawberries in syrup will last several days or even a few weeks if stored in a cool, dry place.

Puff pastry
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and sprinkle with icing sugar. Place another baking sheet on top and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool.

Matcha cream
- Melt white chocolate using a microwave or water bath.
- Add matcha powder and mix well.
- Combine cream with the chocolate-matcha mixture and whip it well.
- Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag and set aside.

To serve
- Pipe matcha cream into four shallow bowls. Reserve some cream.
- Set aside four spoonfuls of the macerated strawberries. Distribute the rest equally on top of the cream.
- Break the puff pastry into pieces and scatter them on top of the strawberries.
- Dot each bowl with more matcha cream and 1 spoonful of strawberries.
- Crush half of the meringue cookies over each bowl.
- Finally, place a candied verbena leaf on top.

Serve and enjoy!

Make the matcha cream using a whipping siphon, if you have one. The cream is also lighter when prepared this way.

More traditional? For decadent strawberries, a slightly sweet rosé is the ideal accompaniment. Our wine expert recommends a cabernet d’Anjou from the Domaine La Croix Des Loges. A wine made exclusively from the cabernet sauvignon varietal (and its parent grape cabernet franc) is mild, refreshing and luscious, making it perfect for this dessert.

More curious? Are you familiar with moscato rosé? It is an internationally renowned sparkling wine from Italy that pairs perfectly with strawberries. Our wine expert invites you to taste the Astoria moscato rosé, a delicious blend of muscat and black Malvasia grapes. Its finesse and gourmet aromas of peaches and strawberries will beguile you.

Chef Willy Camboulin – Barricot