You've likely noticed that things are looking a bit more snazzy around here lately. After several days of being under construction on a fantastic shopping spree {courtesy of the amazing sugar studios}, Blissful Basil's new wardrobe is very close to being complete. She's been styled in new colors, patterns, and functions, and I'm so pleased with the way everything is coming together. Please excuse any minor wardrobe malfunctions you might catch a glimpse of; we're still adding and adjusting things and most changes are transparent to you all.
On a totally different note, you may have noticed over the past several months that I haven't been shunning baking as much as I had in the past. And I'm honestly not sure what happened. Did I somehow mature to appreciate the art of strategic measuring and flour-doused floors between the ages of 27 and 29? Doubt it. Did my patience for waiting 33.5 minutes in between every step grow? Possibly but again, doubtful. It's truly a mystery to me, but somewhere buried amongst the defense mechanisms of my I-only-cook rants there was an appreciative baker in hiding. It might only be a phase induced by my pre-30th year, but I'll take it and cherish it for the time being.
This sweet + savory tart has earned itself a place near and dear to my heart. It boasts strong summer flavors of strawberry and rhubarb but is effortlessly balanced by the savory zing that the bleu cheese adds. Layers of sweet, tart, and creamy flavors are hugged by a buttery and crisp crust that has just enough whole wheat flour in it to wash away any dessert-induced guilt you may have accumulated from those obnoxious summer fitness magazines. As I've said before, your guilt should stay far away from food; it's best saved for animal rescue commercials narrated by Sarah Mclachlan.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cubed*
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 2 ½ cups diced fresh rhubarb
- 2 ½ cups diced fresh strawberries
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- 3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled {optional}*
- You can mix the dough by hand or in a food processor. Either way, the steps are the same. Begin by mixing the flours, sugar, cinnamon and salt until incorporated. Add in the cubed, cold butter and knead with hands or pulse in food processor until incorporated and a crumbly mixture forms. Add in the egg and the cold water, and mix until incorporated.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead for a minute or two. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
- As the dough is chilling, begin making the filling. Add the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, cardamom, and cornstarch to a large mixing bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the strawberry-rhubarb mixture to it and cook for 6-8 minutes or until just starting to thicken and soften. Remove from heat and cool.
- Lightly grease a round tart pan. Place the chilled dough disc in the tart pan and begin to push the dough evenly into the pan, being sure to push the dough up the sides to create edges. Use a fork to poke a few small holes in the bottom of the dough.
- Spoon the strawberry-rhubarb mixture into the formed dough and evenly distribute.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust becomes golden and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Top with little dots of bleu cheese, slice, and serve. If desired, you can skip the bleu cheese, but it enhances the flavor of the tart. If you're looking for a wine pairing, a cool summer Rosé pairs excellently.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator.
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