Strawberry Soda Tarts<\/p>\n
Recipe Overview<\/p>\n
Level: Intermediate<\/p>\n
Total time: 5 hours 10 minutes (includes cooling and setting)<\/p>\n
Active time: 1 hour<\/p>\n
Yield: 12 tarts<\/p>\n
Special equipment: Twelve 3-inch-round pastry rings<\/p>\n
Red foods\u2014from red velvet cake to strawberry pie\u2014are staples of Juneteenth celebrations, but red soda holds a unique place in the tradition. Enslaved people weren\u2019t allowed to enjoy this beverage, so when they gained freedom, they celebrated by drinking red soda. These strawberry soda tarts honor that history, transforming a symbol of freedom into a delightful dessert. The tarts feature a buttery vanilla dough filled with fresh strawberries, a creamy mascarpone mousse, and a glossy strawberry soda gel\u00e9e on top.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/p>\n
Tart Dough<\/p>\n
Butter (unsalted, softened)<\/p>\n
Confectioners\u2019 sugar<\/p>\n
Lemon zest (finely grated)<\/p>\n
All-purpose flour<\/p>\n
Salt<\/p>\n
Egg yolks (large)<\/p>\n
Vanilla extract<\/p>\n
Heavy cream<\/p>\n
Strawberry Filling<\/p>\n
Fresh strawberries (ripe)<\/p>\n
Strawberry jam (or your preferred fruit jam)<\/p>\n
Mascarpone Mousse<\/p>\n
Water (cold)<\/p>\n
Unflavored gelatin (powdered)<\/p>\n
Heavy cream (cold)<\/p>\n
Confectioners\u2019 sugar<\/p>\n
Lemon zest (finely grated)<\/p>\n
Cream cheese (softened)<\/p>\n
Mascarpone cheese (room temperature)<\/p>\n
Vanilla extract<\/p>\n
Strawberry Soda Gel\u00e9e<\/p>\n
Strawberry soda (chilled)<\/p>\n
Unflavored gelatin (powdered)<\/p>\n
Directions<\/p>\n
Make the Tart Dough<\/p>\n
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners\u2019 sugar, and lemon zest. Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy (2\u20133 minutes), scraping down the bowl halfway through. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In another small bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.<\/p>\n
With the mixer on low, gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the butter mixture. Scrape down the bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Stop the mixer, add the flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix\u2014overmixing will make the dough tough). Stir in the cream until just incorporated.<\/p>\n
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a 1-inch-thick disk, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to chill and relax the gluten.<\/p>\n
Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F (175\u00b0C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to 1\/8-inch thickness. Use a 5-inch round cutter to stamp out 12 disks (reroll scraps once if needed). Fit each dough disk into a 3-inch pastry ring, pressing gently to adhere to the sides and bottom. Refrigerate the lined rings for 15 minutes (this prevents the dough from shrinking while baking).<\/p>\n
Just before baking, trim excess dough from the top of the rings using a sharp paring knife. Bake for 20\u201322 minutes, until the pastry is light golden brown and crisp. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, then carefully remove the rings.<\/p>\n
Prepare the Strawberry Filling<\/p>\n
Hull the strawberries (remove the green tops) and dice them into small pieces. Toss the diced strawberries with jam in a small bowl until well coated. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the filling into each cooled tart shell, spreading it evenly over the bottom.<\/p>\n
Make the Mascarpone Mousse<\/p>\n
In a small microwave-safe cup, pour water and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom (the gelatin will absorb the water and become thick and gel-like). Microwave on high for 10 seconds until melted (do not let it get hot\u2014overheating will ruin the gelatin). Set aside to cool slightly.<\/p>\n
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (3\u20134 minutes). Add confectioners\u2019 sugar and lemon zest, then whip until combined (do not overwhip\u2014this will make the cream grainy). Transfer the whipped cream to a small bowl and set aside.<\/p>\n
Switch the mixer to the paddle attachment. Beat cream cheese and mascarpone on medium speed until smooth (1\u20132 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add vanilla and mix well. Gradually beat in the melted gelatin until fully incorporated.<\/p>\n
Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two batches. Fold gently (avoid stirring vigorously) until no streaks of whipped cream remain.<\/p>\n
Transfer the mousse to a disposable pastry bag (snip off the tip to create a 1\/2-inch opening). Pipe the mousse over the strawberry filling in each tart, filling to the top of the shell. Top each tart with a thin slice of strawberry (for decoration). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the mousse is firm.<\/p>\n
Prepare the Strawberry Soda Gel\u00e9e<\/p>\n
In a small microwave-safe cup, pour 1\/4 cup of strawberry soda and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. Microwave on high for 10 seconds until melted (do not overheat).<\/p>\n
In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the remaining 1 1\/4 cups of strawberry soda with the melted gelatin. Stir gently (allow the fizz to subside before pouring\u2014this prevents air bubbles from forming in the gel\u00e9e).<\/p>\n
Slowly pour the gel\u00e9e over the set mousse in each tart, covering the top evenly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the gel\u00e9e is fully set (it should be firm to the touch).<\/p>\n
Serve<\/p>\n
Once the gel\u00e9e is set, the tarts are ready to serve. Keep them chilled until serving.<\/p>\n
Enjoy these sweet, tangy tarts as a tribute to Juneteenth and the joy of freedom!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Strawberry Soda Tarts Recipe Overview Level: Intermediate Total time: 5 hours 10 minutes (includes cooling and setting) Active time: 1 hour Yield: 12 tarts Special equipment: Twelve 3-inch-round pastry rings Red foods\u2014from red velvet cake to strawberry pie\u2014are staples of Juneteenth celebrations, but red soda holds a unique place in the tradition. Enslaved people weren\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recipes"],"yoast_head":"\n