Equipment
Ingredients
Pastry Base
- 250 g puff pastry, thawed but kept cold
Cream Cheese Filling
- 225 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 5 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Strawberry Topping
- 350 g strawberries, hulled and halved
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 333 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 168 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 53 mg
- Potassium
- 130 mg
- Calcium
- 41 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 14 mg
- Phosphorus
- 68 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 96 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 27 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 1.5 mg
- Folate
- 41 mcg
- Water
- 61 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unroll the puff pastry onto the lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, gently score a 2-centimeter border around the perimeter without cutting completely through. Prick the inner rectangle repeatedly with a fork to prevent it from rising.
In a mixing bowl, aggressively whisk the room temperature cream cheese, 50g granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and lump-free.
Spread the cream cheese filling evenly inside the scored border of the puff pastry, taking care not to push the filling over the edges.
Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the pastry borders are deeply golden brown and puffed, and the filling is set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the tart is baking or cooling, combine the halved strawberries, 30g granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for exactly 2 to 3 minutes. The goal is to encourage the berries to release some juices while remaining entirely intact and plump.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the strawberries from the hot syrup and transfer them to a heatproof bowl.
Return the saucepan with the remaining strawberry juices to the heat. Boil for 2 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly into a thin, glossy glaze. Pour this hot glaze over the resting strawberries and allow them to cool to room temperature.
Once both the tart base and the glazed strawberries are cool, spoon the strawberries and any remaining thickened glaze evenly over the cream cheese filling.
Chef's Notes
- Always ensure your puff pastry is completely thawed but still very cold when it goes into the oven. The contrast between cold butter layers and the hot oven is what creates steam and lift.
- Removing the strawberries from their cooking liquid before reducing the syrup is the key technique here. It prevents the fruit from breaking down into a compote, maintaining their elegant, fresh appearance while still deeply infusing them with flavor.
- The egg yolk in the cream cheese filling is essential; it provides richness, stabilizes the filling at high oven temperatures, and prevents it from turning grainy or separating.
- For the ultimate make-ahead approach, store your baked and cooled tart base separately from your strawberry topping in the refrigerator. Spoon the berries on top just 15 minutes before serving to ensure the pastry remains as crisp as possible.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the baked pastry and strawberry topping separately for maximum crispness. Assemble before serving.
Troubleshooting
Puff pastry borders did not rise and the bottom is soggy
Cause: The pastry became too warm before baking, melting the butter layers, or the oven was not fully preheated.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but the dessert will still be flavorful and safe to eat.
Prevention: Always keep puff pastry refrigerated until the exact moment you assemble the tart, and ensure the oven has reached 200C/400F before baking.
Strawberries turned into a mushy jam
Cause: The strawberries were simmered for too long or aggressively boiled.
Fix: Mash the mixture entirely, reduce slightly more, and use it as a rustic strawberry jam topping instead of intact berries.
Prevention: Remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon as soon as they release their first batch of juices, typically right around the 2-minute mark.
Cultural Context
Tarts relying on rough puff or traditional puff pastry have deep roots in French patisserie, serving as a crisp, buttery canvas for seasonal produce. In modern American baking, adapting these classic techniques with high-quality store-bought pastry has become a cherished way to produce elegant desserts without the multi-day lamination process. The vibrant contrast of red summer berries against a bright white cream cheese base makes this particular style of tart an iconic, highly sought-after centerpiece for summer holidays like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day.
