Boozy Strawberry Tart

Here’s a yummy treat using fresh strawberries that’s perfect for brunch or a sweet treat to share with friends. It’s great for gatherings large or small.

STRAWBERRY TOPPING
Ingredients

• 4 lbs fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Clean, halve, and coat strawberries with sugar, vodka, and vanilla extract.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

PIE CRUST 
Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 TBSP cane sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
• 5-8 TBSP ice water

Directions

Place flour in large mixing bowl.  Add salt, sugar and stir.  Next add cut butter.  Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender or use hands.  Mix until flour and butter mixture is crumbly.  Add ice water into flour butter mix one tablespoon at a time.  Use hands to mix dough and form into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

CREAM FILLING
Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 16 oz creme fraiche, room temp
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup vodka

Directions

In a large bowl, mix cheeses using a wire whisk.  Add eggs one at a time and whisk after each addition.  Next, add cane sugar and vodka and whisk until sugar is dissolved.  Cover and set aside (do not refrigerate).

ASSEMBLING AND BAKING TART
Ingredients

• Pie crust
• Cream filling
• Strawberry topping
• 1/2 cup apricot jam mixed with 2 TBSP vodka

Directions
Preheat 350 degree oven.  

Remove pie crust from refrigerator and roll out into a nice thick crust.  Place crust in a large, 11 inch round quiche dish.  Be sure that all sides of the dish are covered with dough.  Using a fork, place air holes into the crust bottom and around the sides.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until crust is a light golden color.

Remove baked crust from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Once crust is cooled, add cream filling.  Place crust and filling back into the 350 degree oven and cook until filling is a solid firm mass and is not sticky when touched, or about 25 minutes.  

Once cream filling is done, remove from oven and let cool completely to room temp.  Remove strawberries from refrigerator and begin to place berries on tart base one at a time, starting with the outer edge.  Once the first layer of berries are on the base, begin to fill in any gaps with remaining berries.  Berries can then be layered on top of other berries to create a nice thick pile. 

Brush completed tart with apricot jam mixture and serve.