I have a degree in international relations, and while most of my days spent as a pie lady feel a far cry from my original career path, this tart indicates that overlap may exist after all. The crisp chocolate matcha shortbread paired with a fluffy strawberry cloud and a crown of perfumed apricots may very well be the path to world peace. Should you ever find yourself in a sticky situation, consider this a sanctioned diplomatic stratagem.
1 baked Chocolate Matcha Shortbread Crust
WHIPPED STRAWBERRY CLOUD
½ cup (118 milliliters) heavy cream
1 cup (20 grams) freeze-dried strawberries
1 cup (8 ounces/226 grams) mascarpone cheese
½ cup (57 grams) powdered sugar
⅓ cup (79 milliliters) milk
1. In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks with an electric mixer. Set aside.
2. Pulverize the strawberries into a powder with a spice grinder or by placing them in a zip-top bag and pounding them to smithereens with a rolling pin.
3. Put the mascarpone in a large bowl and sift in the strawberry powder and powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until well incorporated. The mixture will be very thick. Add the milk and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula until just combined.
5. Remove the cooled crust from the tart pan and place it securely on a plate. Dollop the whipped strawberry cream in the center and spread it evenly over the surface of the crust with an offset spatula, leaving a ¼-inch edge of exposed crust.
APRICOT SWIRL DESIGN PROCESS
4 or 5 firm-ripe apricots
Chef’s knife
1. Halve and pit the apricots. Cut each apricot half into 8 wedges. If any of your apricot slices have a reddish color variation in the skin and you want to incorporate an ombré effect into your design, organize the slices by color on a plate.
2. Beginning from the outer edge of the tart, wedge one apricot slice skin-side up into the cream. Insert another apricot slice to the inside of the first one, staggering its placement. If you are constructing an ombré, start with a few of your darkest-colored slices and gradually transition to lighter-colored slices. Do not use all the red slices in this ring.
3. Continue following the curved edge of the tart. Once you’ve completed a full rotation, without breaking the line, continue arranging apricots tightly inside the first ring in the same staggered overlap. If you’re ombré-ing, incorporate a handful more of the red slices, gradually transitioning to lighter shades.
4. Keep spiraling inward on the surface of the tart. If the remaining space in the center is inhibiting, cut an apricot slice to size.
5. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This tart is best consumed the day it is made. For a clean slice, use a sharp chef’s knife or serrated knife to make small, gentle sawing motions to cut through the fruit without destroying the design. Press firmly to cut through the crust. Wipe the knife clean between cuts. Slide the knife under the slice to transfer to a plate.
SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTIONS
Crust alternatives: Basic Shortbread Crust, Funfetti Oreo Crust
Topping alternatives: Plums, peaches, cherries, berries
NOTE
If you have any leftover apricot slices, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet and then seal in a container once frozen. The frozen apricot slices can be tossed into a pie like Lattice Quo.