Strawberry, Lemon & Yuzu Tartlets

Before starting this Strawberry, Lemon and Yuzu Tartlet recipe, organise all the necessary ingredients for the almond rich shortcrust pastry. Prepare the pastry the day before and store overnight.

For the almond rich shortcrust pastry: (make the day before) Place the flour in the stand mixer recipient.

Add the almond powder...

... icing sugar...

.. and the soft butter cut into chunks (remove from the fridge 30 minutes before).

Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise...

... and scrape the seeds out with a utility knife. Add the seeds to the stand mixer recipient.

Add the egg yolks and a pinch of salt (or fleur de sel).

Knead on low speed with the flat beater to avoid flour spatter.

Stop the mixer when the ingredients have a grainy consistency. At this stage, the pastry is not homogeneous enough, with whole bits of butter.

Detach the butter on the flat beater.

Resume mixing at medium speed...

... until the ingredients form a block.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and gather the ingredients into a homogeneous ball. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

For the pastry case: Roll out the almond rich shortcrust pastry with a rolling pin.

Cut the pastry into discs using a tart ring Ø 12 cm, making sure to cut along the outer rim of the ring.

Discard the pastry scraps.

This is what the mousse should look like. of 12.5 cm.

Using a stainless steel ring Ø 7cm, cut a central hole...

... to create regular rings. Transfer the pastry rings on a perforated baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.

Bake in a fan-assisted oven preheated at 170°C (gas 3) between 12 and 15 minutes.

The pastry should be golden.

For the dried strawberries: (prepare ahead)
Stem the strawberries and slice finely with a Japanese mandoline slicer.

Thickness should not exceed 2 mm.

Repeat and slice about ten strawberries. Choose nice, firm strawberries.

Arrange the strawberry slices carefully on a Silpat baking mat.

Place in the oven at 40°C between 10 and 12 hours. I recommend slicing the strawberries the day before and drying them in the oven overnight. Alternatively, you can use a food dehydrator if you have one.

For the caramelized almonds: (prepare ahead): Organise all the necessary ingredients.

You need a large saucepan for this operation.

Place the water and sugar in the saucepan.

Bring to a boil. When the sugar is completely melted...

... add the almonds...

... and stir constantly with a spatula...

... until all the water has evaporated...

... and a caramel...

... starts forming. Make sure you are stirring at all times.

When all almonds are coated and the caramel is a light brown, transfer on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Don't wait until the caramel turns dark, which will give a bitter taste to the almonds.

Spread them...

... and separate them before the caramel is too hard. Set aside to cool then store the almonds in an airtight container.

For the lemon and yuzu cream: Stretch cling film over a deep baking tray. There should no folds on the film.

Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Steep the gelatine sheets in cold water. Set aside.

In a saucepan, place the whole eggs and castor sugar. Combine with a whisk.

Add the lemon juice...

... and yuzu juice.

Zest the lime with a Microplane grater and add to the pan.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly.

The preparation should thicken slowly. Make sure you're on medium heat and stirring constantly to avoid ending up with an omelette!

Squeeze the gelatine with your hands to strain, making sure not to squash it.

Add the gelatin to the hot cream.

Mix until completely dissolved.

Pass the preparation through a sieve to remove the zest or any bits of coagulated eggs.

Add the diced butter.

Combine until the butter is completely incorporated.

At this stage, the cream is still warm so the butter should incorporate well.

Pour the lemon and yuzu cream over the cling film.

Gently tap the tray on your worktop to spread evenly. Refrigerate until set.

For the strawberry mousse: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Steep the gelatine sheets in cold water. Set aside.

Heat the strawberry purée in a saucepan and place over medium heat.

Add the castor sugar and combine.

In the meantime, beat the whipping cream until you obtain a whipped cream.

Reserve in the fridge.

When the strawberry purée starts simmering, remove the pan from the heat...

... and add the strained gelatin.

Mix until the gelatine is completely dissolved.

Transfer into a deep baking sheet and leave to cool at room temperature (do not refrigerate).
I used a large plastic tray to spread the preparation into a thin layer so it cools down faster.

Stretch cling film over a separate deep baking sheet.

There should no folds on the film.

When the strawberry purée has cooled down, transfer into a mixing bowl.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream.

Combine well with a whisk.

Add the rest of the whipped cream...

... and fold carefully with a rubber spatula.

The result should be homogeneous. If lumps remain, give the preparation a quick whisk.

Pour the preparation over the baking sheet...

... and spread over the cling film to an even layer.

Refrigerate until set.

When the lemon and yuzu cream has set, place in the freezer for a little bit until the consistency is harder. Do not wait until the preparation is completely frozen to take it out.
When the cream is harder, cut discs with a stainless steel mousse ring Ø 12cm.

Cut a total of 4 discs.
It's important you do this while the cream is harder as it will quickly go back to its original soft consistency, so make sure to work quickly.

Using a smaller mousse ring (Ø 7cm) or a pastry cutter, create a smaller disc shape in the centre of each disc.
Return to the freezer.

Remove the strawberry mousse out of the fridge. Place a Silpat baking mat on top...

... perfectly flat.

Place a baking sheet on top...

... perfectly flat.

Flip the whole thing in a quick motion.

Remove the baking sheet on top.

The mousse should be firm at this stage.

Remove the cling film.

This is what the mousse should look like. Place the strawberry mousse in the freezer for a little bit until the consistency is harder.

Cut 4 discs with the mousse ring Ø 12cm.

Cut another smaller disc in the centre with the pastry cutter Ø 7cm.

The result should look like this.

Remove the lemon cream from the freezer. Both preparations now have the right consistency to handle them easily.

Place a Silpat silicone mat over the lemon mousse...

... and place a baking sheet on top.

Flip the whole thing in a quick motion.

Remove the baking sheet...

... and the cling film.

Repeat steps #95 to #98 and flip again to have the right side of the lemon mousse facing up.

Place the stainless steel ring in the pre-cut marks of the large disc to detach the shape from the rest of the mousse.

Discard the mousse scraps...

... around the rings.

The mousse is partially frozen and you need to proceed quickly to release all 4 discs before it starts defrosting. Return the 4 lemon rings to the freezer.

Repeat this operation with the strawberry mousse while it is still partially frozen.

Remove the mousse scraps...

... and release the rings.

Remove the central. Like many plated desserts with specific shapes, this recipe will create leftovers from the mousse rings. Don't throw the mousse leftovers of course, they can be used for desserts served in verrine cups for instance.

Assembling the tartlets: You need the pastry rings and lemon mousse rings for this step. The reason why we initially cut the pastry rings slightly bigger is because the pastry shrinks a little during baking, so we end up with exactly the same diameter as the mousse.

Carefully lift a lemon mousse ring and arrange on top of a pastry ring.

Repeat for all four rings.

Remove the strawberry rings from the freezer and lift them gently...

... and arrange on top of the lemon rings. Make sure they are stacked and lined perfectly.

At this stage, reserve the tartlets in the fridge.

Once dried, this is what the strawberry slices should look like.

Using a knife with a flexible blade (sole fillet knife), carefully detach the strawberry slices from the mat and store in an airtight container.

For the vanilla crème mousseline: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Pour the milk in a saucepan. Add the vanilla powder. Place over medium heat.

In a mixing bowl, place the egg yolks and castor sugar.

Blanch the preparation with a whisk.

Add the corn starch and combine until homogeneous.

When the milk starts boiling, pour it over the preparation while whisking.

Transfer the preparation into the saucepan used to boil the milk...

... and cook for a few minutes on medium heat...

... until thick. Continue cooking for 1 minute over a gentle boil, whisking constantly.

Transfer the cream into a large dish.

Spread and place cling film on the surface to prevent the formation of a crust. Leave to cool at room temperature.

Stem the strawberries...

... and cut into quarters. Set aside.

Transfer the cold cream into a mixing bowl.

Whisk until smooth.

Add the soft butter...

... and combine well with a whisk. The crème mousseline is ready.

Fit a piping bag with a fluted nozzle.

Fill the piping bag with crème mousseline.

Assembling the tartlets (continued): Get all the components ready.

Pipe small swirls of crème mousseline on the surface of each ring.

Arrange strawberry quarters on top, burying them in the cream.

Arrange a few dried strawberry slices...

... and a few meringue decorations.

Finish with a few caramelised almonds on the surface...

... and sprinkle with pistachio powder.

The tartlets are now done. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.