For the Love of Parchment!

In an effort to tame my sweets obsessed boy man, I have been on a kick of making slightly savory desserts that please the both of us.

This week I got rhubarb and strawberries in my box. I had never cooked rhubarb before, but had tried it on occasion. I opted to try to recipe that came with my box for a Rustic Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart.

As I am not a baker, I often misread recipes, which then lead to disaster. Although I misread this one, fortunately, it was not a complete disaster. Although, still not worthy of a picture to post here due to a major burn-situation. I rarely remember that when baking, ingredients are often listed as the total quantity to be used for the entire process, not just one part as often is the case in a recipe for say, anything else.

For example, this recipes states that you need 2 1/4 c flour. Brilliant as I am, I assume that all 2 1/4 cups of flour go in the crust. The same went for the 3/4 c sugar. Again, wrong.

I wound up making a crust that much more resembled a cookie. Which completely defeated the purpose of making a sweet/savory dessert. Nonetheless, it was yummy, and probably one of the only cookies I have successfully made, so all was not lost.

I now share with you a perfectly seasonal recipe for :

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
c/o Farm Fresh to You with my special edits and the crust you should make

2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 sugar
1/4 t salt
3/4 butter
1 pint strawberries
1/4 lb (1 good stalk) rhubarb
1/2 t ground cardamom

Combine 2 c flour, 1/4 sugar, and salt. Cut butter into flour and form tiny crumblies. Add 1/4 c cold water to mixture and form a ball od dough. This process can also be done in a food processor. Wrap in parchment or other material and put in freezer to harden while you work with fruit.

Cut strawberries and rhubarb to pie sized pieces. Mix with 1/2 sugar, 3 T flour, and cardamom. If you wish, as I did, replace some of the sugar with Honey, or maple syrup. It makes for a subtle yet concentrated natural sweetness.

Roll out pastry into ~14 inch round. I recommend some parchment paper* between your baking sheet and dough. Remember to be sure that your butter is cold and not mushy or it will be difficult to roll out the pastry. Stir the berry/'barb mixture well and spoon onto the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry over the border of the fruit while tucking in the excess pastry. Spread or brush some melted butter on the outside of the pastry, while placing a few chunks of butter in the open portion of the fruit. Sprinkle with sugar if you wish.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350-375 (you know your oven best).

* I highly recommend the parchment because if there are any cracks in your pastry, the sweet juices from the fruit will find their way out. Nothing is more difficult to clean than burnt to black sugar.