Strawberry Tart with Rosemary Flower Cream

Most people only use rosemary in savoury dishes, such as roasting potatoes / meat / fish etc. But rosemary can also add a refreshing touch to desserts. In this recipe we suggest using the flower of the plant in the filling as the fresh leaves can be tough to chew on, and the flower tastes just as good as the leaves.

The picture doesn't do the rosemary any justice - as it is not featured at all. But the aroma and taste of the plant would be a pleasant surprise, not only to your guests / friends, but also to yourself - even you already know of this secret ingredient!

INGREDIENTS

For the shortcrust pastry

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

50g icing sugar

A generous pinch of sea salt

125g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg, yolk only, lightly beaten

A splash of milk

2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped

1/2 lemon, zest only (juice reserved for the filling)

For the filling

200g soft cream cheese

250g Greek yogurt

5 - 6 Tbsp caster sugar

Half a lemon, juice only

Large handful of rosemary flower, washed and dried, chopped

400g strawberries, washed and hulled

Cold water

2-3 tbsp icing sugar

DIRECTION

1. Sieve flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl, followed by sea salt. Rub in the butter to form a crumbly mixture. Mix in lemon zest and chopped rosemary. Add egg and milk into the mixture. Combine and mix well to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or more). Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Fill a seperate bowl with cold water and 2 - 3 Tbsp of icing sugar. Mix well, then add strawberries (water level sufficiently covering all strawberries). Refrigerate.

3. Lightly grease a 20cm cake tin. On a dusted surface with a dusted rolling pin, roll the dough out to 0.5cm - 1cm thickness and big enough to cover the base and sides of the cake tin. Line the baking tin with the pastry and remove excess. Prick the bottom of the tart shell with a fork. Cover with baking paper, then add baking beans on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the baking paper and baking beans and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and thoroughly cooked through (depending on thickness of pastry). Set the pastry case aside and let cool completely. Once cooled, remove the pastry case from the baking tin carefully and place it on the serving plate.

4. To prepare the filling, mix cream cheese and Greek yogurt in a large mixing bowl. Add 5 - 6 Tbsp sugar, lemon juice and chopped rosemary flower and mix well. Refrigerate if the pastry case is still hot.

5. Drain the strawberries. Spread the filling evenly into the bottom of the cooled pastry case, then fill the top with strawberries.