Strawberry Graham Cracker Tart
The classic flavor of strawberry cheesecake with a twist! A buttery graham cracker crust filled with cream cheese pastry cream and crowned with lightly sweetened strawberries. It’s an oldie but a goodie!
Prep Time:
45 minutes plus chilling time
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Serves:
8 to 10
Perfect for:
Playful Plates
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups whole milk, divided
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 Cup cornstarch
- 1 Package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- 1/2 Tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
- 1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 Cup brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup honey
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 1/2 Tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
- 1 Package (16 ounces or 3 cups) Driscoll's Strawberries
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Directions
- WHISK pastry cream and SPOON evenly into tart shell.
- GARNISH tart with sweetened strawberries.
- CHILL tart in refrigerator until ready to serve.
- PLACE 6 large egg yolks into a medium bowl.
- ADD 1/4 cup granulated sugar and ADD 1/4 cup cornstarch.
- ADD 1/2 cup whole milk and WHISK until smooth.
- SET ASIDE egg yolk mixture.
- POUR remaining 1 cup whole milk into a medium saucepan.
- ADD remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
- SPLIT and SCRAPE seeds from half of 1 vanilla bean and ADD seeds to milk mixture (optional).
- COOK over medium heat just until barely steaming. Do not overcook.
- ADD 1/4 cup warm milk mixture to egg yolk mixture while WHISKING constantly.
- ADD another 1/4 cup warm milk mixture to egg yolk mixture while WHISKING constantly.
- RECOMBINE all egg yolk mixture and all milk mixture in saucepan.
- COOK mixture over medium heat while WHISKING constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
- COOK 1 – 2 minutes while WHISKING constantly until mixture is very thick.
- REMOVE from heat.
- ADD 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese and STIR until cream cheese is completely melted.
- ADD 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and ADD 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and STIR to combine.
- PRESS mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl using the back of a ladle.
- PLACE a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream and REFRIGERATE until chilled.
- PLACE 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- ADD 1/4 cup honey.
- BEAT until smooth and light in color.
- ADD 1/4 cup granulated sugar and ADD 1/4 cup brown sugar.
- SET ASIDE butter mixture.
- PLACE 2 cups all-purpose flour into a medium bowl.
- ADD 1/2 cup whole wheat flour.
- ADD 1/2 teaspoon salt and ADD 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and ADD 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- STIR to combine.
- ADD half of flour mixture to butter mixture.
- BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
- BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
- FORM dough into a disk and WRAP with plastic wrap and CHILL in refrigerator until firm.
- SPRINKLE work surface lightly with flour.
- ROLL OUT dough to a 14-inch circle.
- TRANSFER dough to an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- PRESS dough into bottom of pan and all the way up sides and TRIM AWAY excess dough.
- PRICK dough bottom all over with fork tines and CHILL in refrigerator 30 minutes.
- PREHEAT oven to 325°F.
- BAKE tart shell until deep golden brown and dry in appearance, about 30 minutes.
- ALLOW tart shell to cool completely in pan on wire rack.
- HULL and CUT INTO QUARTERS 1 package (16 ounces) strawberries.
- PLACE 3/4 cup quartered strawberries into a medium bowl.
- ADD 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and TOSS gently to COAT strawberries.
- ALLOW strawberries to rest about 20 minutes until juice is released.
- ADD remaining sliced strawberries and STIR gently.
- SET ASIDE sweetened strawberries.
