Strawberry Rhubarb Tart - One of the Reason that makes Summer bearable

Please tell me that I am not the only one who loathe summer. Tell me that you dislike the sultry heat and 100% humidity as much as coming home ravenous to an empty fridge.(or whatever you really dread). If I could, I'd hide inside an air-conditioned room and eat ice cream for the whole summer. Reading books and food blogs pretending that it is any season but summer.

But if I really do that, I'd miss these juicy strawberries and mound of rhubarb stalks piling gloriously high in the farmers' market. The sweetest, ripest strawberries have finally arrived in my neck of the wood, taking over the spotlight from their mediocre predecessors.

I reached for one punnet, then another, and another, and finally decided that I might as well take half a dozen of them. Afterall, it was more "cost effective" that way. As I sauntered towards the vegetables section, a worker was opening a box of rhubarbs and piling them up under the sign that reads " California Rhubarb $1.99/pound".

The next five minutes, I was trying to grab as many stalks as my bag allowed. Which came up to be slightly less than 4 pounds. I was already thinking of incorporating some in my May Daring Bakers Challenge, and some in the form of tart, cake and sorbet.

Suddenly, summer seems bearable. The heat and humidity is justifiable for the sweetest berries it promises. I need to write down a list of "10 reasons why I love Summer" and stick it on my laptop. The first reason would be this strawberry rhubarb tart.

Made with my favorite buttery sweet tart dough, and a topping of macerated strawberry and rhubarb that baked to a jam consistency. The peak of season fruits really doesn't need much adornment. Even OCT who isn't a strawberry fan polishes one up when I insist that he tries a bite.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

This recipe is inspired by Anita's strawberry rhubarb tart, which she made for her birthday. I added vanilla sugar to macerate the fruits, and cornstarch to thicken up the juice. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio adds color and crunch to the tart.

1/3 batch Sweet tart dough (make a full batch and save the rest in freezer for other use)
2 cups of sliced strawberries
2 cups of sliced rhubarbs
3/4 cup of vanilla sugar/ granulated sugar(more or less, to taste)
1.5 tbsp cornstarch
splash of lemon juice (optional)
chopped pistachio and strawberries when serve (optional)

Follow the instruction on the sweet tart dough recipe to bake the tart shells using your tart rings or tart molds with removable bottom. Remove from oven when the tart shells are dry and lightly colored.

Combine the sliced strawberries, rhubarbs, sugar and cornstarch in a big bowl. Add a splash of lemon juice if you wish. Let rest for 5 minuts. Taste the fruit, add sugar to taste.

Brush the eggwash on the bottom of tart shells. Spoon the macerated fruits into the shells. Becareful not to pack too much filling into each shells. Add spoonful of juice collected at the bottom of bowl into each shells and bake for 35-40 minutes at preheated 350F oven.

The filling will bubbling when it's almost ready. The fruit and juice should looked set when it's ready. The finished tart will have a filling of jam consistency and not runny.

Remove the cooked tarts from oven and let cool. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio and fresh strawberries for color. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or as it is to fully enjoy the flavors of the tart.

Makes 5 3.5-inches individual tarts.