Strawberry Pistachio Tart à la Christophe Michalak

Ingredients

• 220 g Heavy cream (Whole, 35% fat)
• 100 g Covering white chocolate (Cut into pieces)
• 15 g Pistachio paste (Smooth paste, preferably unsweetened)
• 120 g T45 flour (Sift before use)
• 4 g Baking powder
• 20 g Powdered sugar
• 175 g Butter (Softened, at room temperature for the shortcrust, melted for the cake)
• 5 g Salt
• 4 g Fleur de sel (For the shortcrust)
• 70 g Almond powder (20 g for the shortcrust, 50 g for the cake)
• 40 g Pistachio powder
• 25 g Pistachio paste (for the cake)
• 90 g Powdered sugar (for the cake)
• 12 g Potato starch
• 1 un Egg yolk (Approximately 20 g)
• 130 g Egg whites (Separated into two parts)
• 90 g Sugar (for the whites) (Added in three batches)
• 40 g Brown sugar
• 4 g Pectin (Nash type) (2 g for the jam, 2 g for the jelly)
• 250 g Fresh strawberries (for the jam) (Wash, hull, cut coarsely)
• 500 g Fresh strawberries (for decoration) (Hull, cut into segments of equal height)
• 75 g Crushed pistachios (Toasted, unsalted)
• few drops Lemon juice (For the jelly)
• few drops Red food coloring (Optional, to intensify the jelly color)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pistachio whipped cream

   In a saucepan, bring the liquid cream to a boil, remove from heat, add the white chocolate pieces and then the pistachio paste in two additions, stirring vigorously with a spatula to emulsify.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 100°C

2. Blend the whipped cream

   Use the immersion blender to blend the mixture until a smooth, homogeneous texture is achieved, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare the shortcrust pastry

   In the mixer bowl, incorporate the softened butter, flour, baking powder, powdered sugar, salt, almond powder, fleur de sel and mix with the flat whisk until a homogeneous dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

4. Roll out and shape the shortcrust

   Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, flatten by hand then roll out to 2 mm thickness with a rolling pin. Cut a rectangle of 35 × 12 cm and set aside the excess.

   Time: PT5M

5. Chill the shortcrust

   Cover the dough rectangle with the second sheet of paper and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

6. Bake the shortcrust

   Preheat the oven to 160°C. Bake the shortcrust for 20 minutes until lightly golden and retaining a crumbly texture.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 160°C

7. Prepare the pistachio soft cake batter

   Melt 65 g of butter, let it cool. In a bowl, combine the almond and pistachio powders, powdered sugar, starch, egg yolk, pistachio paste and the 65 g of egg whites. Blend with the immersion blender until a smooth batter forms.

   Time: PT15M

8. Whip the remaining egg whites

   In another bowl, whisk the remaining 65 g of egg whites with a pinch of salt. As soon as the whites begin to foam, add the sugar in three portions, continuing to whisk until stiff peaks form.

   Time: PT7M

9. Fold in the whipped egg whites

   Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the pistachio batter using a spatula, lifting the mixture to avoid deflating them.

   Time: PT3M

10. Add the melted butter

    Pour the cooled melted butter into the batter and mix gently until fully incorporated.

    Time: PT2M

11. Bake the soft cake

    Pour the batter over the cooled shortcrust, ensuring it does not exceed the edge of the pan. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until the top is golden and the center remains pistachio green.

    Time: PT25M

    Temperature: 180°C

12. Prepare the strawberry jam

    Cut the 250 g of strawberries into large pieces, blend with the immersion blender until a smooth purée. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and pectin, add the strawberry purée in a stream while stirring, bring to a boil then reduce for a few minutes.

    Time: PT13M

    Temperature: 100°C

13. Cool the jam

    Transfer the jam to a bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator until assembly.

    Time: PT0M

14. Prepare the strawberry jelly

    Mix 20 g of sugar with 2 g of pectin. In a saucepan, heat 100 g of strawberry purée with a few drops of lemon juice, add the sugar‑pectin mixture, bring to a boil, remove from heat, pour into a container and add a few drops of red coloring.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 100°C

15. Plate the tart

    Remove the cake frame, trim the edges slightly (≈0.5 cm). Spread the strawberry jam over the entire surface. Sprinkle the edges with crushed pistachios using a cardboard strip. Arrange the fresh strawberries in regular rows, brush them with jelly. Fill a piping bag with the chilled pistachio whipped cream and pipe a small dollop on the top of every other strawberry. Sprinkle the top with pistachio shards.

    Time: PT20M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Heavy cream: Pour cream
• Instead of Covering white chocolate: Pastry white chocolate
• Instead of Pistachio paste: Ground pistachios + sugar
• Instead of T45 flour: All-purpose flour
• Instead of Baking powder: Leavening powder
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Sifted granulated sugar
• Instead of Butter: Vegetable margarine (for the shortcrust)
• Instead of Salt: Fine salt
• Instead of Fleur de sel: Sea salt
• Instead of Almond powder: Ground almonds
• Instead of Pistachio powder: Finely ground pistachios
• Instead of Pistachio paste (for the cake): Ground pistachios + sugar
• Instead of Powdered sugar (for the cake): Sifted granulated sugar
• Instead of Potato starch: Cornstarch
• Instead of Egg yolk: Pasteurized egg yolk
• Instead of Egg whites: Rehydrated powdered egg whites
• Instead of Sugar (for the whites): Powdered sugar
• Instead of Brown sugar: Brown sugar
• Instead of Pectin (Nash type): Fruit pectin
• Instead of Fresh strawberries (for the jam): Frozen strawberries (thawed)
• Instead of Fresh strawberries (for decoration): Frozen strawberries (thawed)
• Instead of Crushed pistachios: Crushed almonds
• Instead of Lemon juice: Apple cider vinegar (small amount)
• Instead of Red food coloring: Beet juice

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan
• Mixing bowl (soup bowl)
• Immersion blender
• Electric mixer with flat whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Tart pan (35 × 12 cm)
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Piping bag with smooth tip (size #6)
• Kitchen brush (optional)
• Kitchen scale

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Emulsifying the cream with white chocolate and pistachio paste
• Chilling the shortcrust to prevent shrinkage
• Whipping the egg whites and delicate incorporation
• Baking the cake without opening the oven during the first 15 minutes
• Even distribution of the jam and jelly before final assembly

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use seasonal strawberries for better flavor and color.
• Lightly toast the pistachios before crushing to intensify their aroma.
• For an even more graphic effect, alternate rows of whole strawberries and halved strawberries.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the whole tart, covered, up to 2 days maximum.

Freezer: Not recommended, the texture of the shortcrust and cake deteriorates.

Room temperature: Consume within 4 hours after plating to keep the jelly's shine.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the pistachio whipped cream the day before and let it rest in the fridge.
• Bake the shortcrust and cake in advance, keep them refrigerated, then assemble on the day.
• Make the strawberry jam and jelly 12 hours ahead; they keep well refrigerated.