Strawberry Tart with Queso Fresco Pastry Cream

Here's a recipe for a strawberry tart, with the pastry cream upgraded to have queso fresco in it. Queso fresco is a Mexican cheese, with a slightly salty undertone to it, that complements the sweet strawberries really well. This is a delicious and unexpected dessert recipe!

this is a super easy, barely baked strawberry tart that has sweet, salty, citrusy and fresh notes. the pastry creme has crumbled queso fresco folded into it, and lots of lemon zest.

I won't tell anyone if you just blind bake a frozen, store-bought pie crust! summer desserts are all about minimal effort with the maximal outcome -- this is exactly that.

how to make a strawberry tart with queso fresco pastry cream

Part 1: make the pie tart

• Prepare pie dough and line a 9" tart pan OR use a premade pie crust
• Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes, until brown.
• Let cool completely

Part 2: make the queso fresco pastry cream

• In a saucepan (not yet over any heat though), whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and lemon zest.
• Add the flour, a couple of tablespoons of milk taken from the total amount and continue whisking until well combined.
• Place the remaining milk/queso fresco mixture and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until the milk just comes to a simmer.
• While whisking, slowly add the queso fresco/milk to the egg mixture and return the mixture to the saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the cream has thickened. this took me about 5 minutes -- watch it closely!

Part 3: let it set

• Pour the queso fresco pastry cream into the cooled pie crust/tart crust, and arrange strawberry slices on top.
• Refrigerate until chilled.

📖 Recipe

Strawberry Tart with Queso Fresco Pastry Cream

Mimi Newman

an easy strawberry tart with queso fresco filling. perfect summer dessert idea!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Pie

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 294 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Tart crust:

• 1 Pre-made pie crust sorry haters! OR my standard pie crust

Queso Fresco Pasty Creme:

• 2 egg yolks
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup finely-crumbled queso fresco
• 1 ½ cups milk
• zest of 1 lemon

Topping:

• 1 quart of strawberries washed and sliced into ½ in vertical slices

Instructions

 

• Prepare pie dough and line a 9" tart pan OR use a premade pie crust
• Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes, until brown.
• Let cool completely
• Queso fresco pasty creme
• In a saucepan (not yet over heat), whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and lemon zest.
• Add the flour, a couple of tablespoons of milk taken from the total amount and continue whisking until well combined.
• Place the remaining milk/queso fresco mixture and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until the milk just comes to a simmer.
• While whisking, slowly add the queso fresco/milk to the egg mixture and return the mixture to the saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream has thickened. this took me about 5 minutes -- watch it closely!
• Pour into the cooled pie crust/tart crust. To prevent a skin from forming, press a sheet of cling film directly onto the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until chilled.
• Decorate

Nutrition

Serving: 1eighth of pieSodium: 139mgCalcium: 102mgVitamin C: 70mgVitamin A: 184IUSugar: 28gFiber: 3gPotassium: 280mgCholesterol: 56mgCalories: 294kcalSaturated Fat: 4gFat: 10gProtein: 6gCarbohydrates: 48gIron: 2mg

Keyword easy summer dessert, strawberry tart, summer dessert idea

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