Blooms & Baking, the brand new book from Amy Ho of Constellation Inspiration, is packed full of beautiful bakes combining the best of our summer gardens with wizardry in the kitchen.
With step-by-step instructions, Amy shows you how to add floral flavors to your baking to match flavor and beauty in your creations.
For our feature this week, we’ve chosen a sumptuous summer fruit tart from Blooms & Baking for its exquisite simplicity – a perfect summer dessert that you can whip up in no time to wow your guests this summer.
Unfussy yet impressive, this summer fruit tart allows all the summer produce to shine. The rich and buttery crust is filled with a lightly sweetened rose-mascarpone whipped cream and topped with all the best fruits from the farmers’ market. When you make the whipped cream, increase the amount of sugar, 1 tablespoon (13 g) at a time, if the fruits are not as ripe as you’d like.
Yields 1 (9-inch [23-cm]) tart
Pâte Sablée
- 9 tbsp (126 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 11⁄4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
Rose-Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 11⁄2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream
- 1⁄2 tsp culinary-grade rose water
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup (150 g) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
Topping
- 1 cup (144 g) fresh strawberries, halved
- 1 cup (144 g) fresh blackberries
- 1 cup (225 g) fresh whole cherries
- 1⁄2 cup (75 g) fresh currants
To make the pâte sablée: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until they are smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk and mix until the ingredients are fully combined.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and salt and mix just until the dough comes together and there is no more visible flour, about 1 minute. (Be careful not to overmix.) Press the dough into a 9-inch (23-cm) non-stick tart pan with a removable bottom, making sure it is evenly distributed. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the tart crust to prevent the bottom from puffing up during baking. Loosely wrap the tart pan in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While the tart crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).
Remove the tart crust from the refrigerator and immediately place it in the oven. Bake the tart crust for 12 to 15 minutes, until it is golden brown. Carefully remove the tart crust from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the rose-mascarpone whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream on high speed for about 2 minutes, until medium-stiff peaks form. Reduce the mixer’s speed to medium and add the rose water and powdered sugar. Whisk until the ingredients are combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer the whipped cream to a large bowl and set aside.
In the same bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone on high speed for about 2 minutes, until it is smooth and fluffy. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone until the two are incorporated. Transfer the whipped cream to the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
To assemble the tart, fill the cooled tart crust with the rose-mascarpone whipped cream and top it with the strawberries, blackberries, cherries, and currants.
Reprinted with permission from Blooms and Baking by Amy Ho, Page Street Publishing Co. 2020. Photo: Amy Ho
