This is the story of a dessert that shouldn’t have worked — and yet it did. What began as a kitchen misstep became a sweet redemption and a memorable Mother’s Day treat: Brown Sugar Strawberries and Cream Tartlets.
It started with a recipe I admired, originally shared years ago by Evil Chef Mom. It had been successful for many cooks, so I assumed it would be for me too. The problem: I failed to read the recipe carefully.
At the grocery store I grabbed a flat of strawberries and went home confident I remembered the method for the “Browned Butter Strawberry Mascarpone Tart.” Two mistakes right away: the recipe I had in mind was actually called “Brown Sugar Strawberry Tart,” and it didn’t call for mascarpone. I didn’t notice until I was already deep into preparations.
Because I often make mascarpone at home when a recipe calls for it, I bought cream to make my own. Then I made another error: I purchased heavy cream instead of the lighter cream or half-and-half that mascarpone and crème fraîche require. I only realized this later, after culturing the cream.
By the time I’d turned that heavy cream into cultured crème fraîche (which, because I used heavy cream, was exceptionally thick), it was already late Saturday and I refrigerated it, thinking I could adapt it the next day. The cultured cream was so thick it essentially behaved like mascarpone without any draining. That seemed promising — until I re-read the original recipe on Sunday morning and discovered my other misremembered details.
The original recipe relied on folding whipped heavy cream into cultured cream to thicken the filling. I didn’t have any fresh heavy cream left to whip because I’d cultured it, and the dense mascarpone-like mixture I had wouldn’t whip further. I needed a plan.
Scanning the fridge, I found an 8-ounce block of neufchâtel (a lower-fat cream cheese). Inspiration struck. I whipped the softened neufchâtel, folded in the mascarpone-style cultured cream and added some half-and-half, brown sugar, and vanilla, adjusting sweetness and texture as I went. The result was a smooth, airy, slightly tangy filling that held its shape well enough to mound into tart shells.
More than acceptable, it was outstanding. The brown sugar shortbread shells provided a buttery, slightly caramel note that paired perfectly with the creamy filling. Fresh strawberries — fragrant, sweet, and bursting with flavor — elevated the tartlets to something close to bliss.
I finished each mini tart with a small sprig of fresh English thyme. The herbs looked lovely against the red berries and added a delicate fragrant note that complemented the sweetness without overpowering it.
So yes, I botched the original plan and ended up with a different dessert than intended. But the mistake produced a beautiful result that’s now on repeat in my dessert rotation. If I make the same “errors” again, I’ll do it on purpose.
Cook’s Notes
- If time is short, use pre-made mini tart or pie shells. Homemade brown sugar shortbread is exceptional, but store-bought shells are a perfectly good shortcut.
- Making mascarpone at home is economical and satisfying, but store-bought mascarpone works very well in this recipe.
- Use fresh strawberries for the best texture and appearance; frozen berries won’t provide the same result for these tartlets.
- You can make one large tart instead of nine mini tarts. Arrange the strawberries in concentric circles, alternating cut sides up and down for visual interest. Scatter minced thyme across the top or garnish slices with small sprigs before serving.
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Brown Sugar Strawberries and Cream Tartlets
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
Ingredients for the tart shells:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup well-chilled butter cut into small pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients for filling:
- 8 ounces softened Neufchatel cheese
- 1 cup mascarpone (about 8 ounces)
- 1 cup half and half (about 8 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For topping
- 1 pound fresh strawberries about 1 quart, hulled and sliced. If making mini tarts, each tart needs about 3 berries.
- Optional: 1 small sprig of fresh thyme per tart.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Spray 9 mini tart pans (with removable bottoms) or one 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
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In a food processor, pulse together flour, brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch until combined. Add chilled butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture forms fine crumbs that hold together when squeezed.
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Divide the dough among the tart pans and press evenly across the bottom and up the sides, pressing firmly so the sides hold. Shake off excess crumbs.
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Bake on the sheet for 15–20 minutes, or until the edges are golden (about 22 minutes for one large tart). Cool completely on a rack.
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When cool, carefully push the tart bottoms up through the pans to release the shells. If the shells are fragile, leave them on their bases. Arrange shells on a rimmed platter or baking sheet.
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Beat the softened neufchâtel until smooth. Add mascarpone, half-and-half, brown sugar, and vanilla and blend on medium until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Spoon the filling into the tart shells, mounding slightly.
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Arrange sliced strawberries in a ring around each tart (cut side up), then add a slightly smaller overlapping ring (cut side down), finishing with a few slices in the center. Cover loosely and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
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If desired, garnish each tart with a small sprig of fresh thyme just before serving.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use.
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This post was originally published May 9, 2011.
