Savor the exquisite flavors of this Yogurt and Fruit Tart with Chamomile Jelly, a dessert that beautifully marries creamy textures with fresh fruit vibrancy. This tart begins with a perfectly baked pastry shell, rolled to a delicate thickness of 3 mm and baked to golden perfection. The blind-baking process ensures a crisp base, providing an ideal foundation for the luscious filling.
Once the pastry shell has cooled, it is generously filled with a smooth mixture of yogurt and honey, offering a delightful balance of tangy and sweet flavors. This creamy layer sets the stage for the tart’s stunning decoration.
Fresh kiwifruit, sliced thinly, adds a refreshing and slightly tart contrast, while vibrant strawberries are artfully arranged in the center, creating a visually appealing centerpiece that tempts the senses.
The finishing touch is the chamomile jelly, which adds a unique floral note to the tart. Made by boiling water and steeping chamomile tea, the jelly is thickened with agar-agar, resulting in a delicate and fragrant layer. Once set, the jelly is scraped into shavings that provide an elegant garnish, enhancing the tart’s visual appeal and adding an intriguing texture.
Perfect for any occasion, this Yogurt and Fruit Tart with Chamomile Jelly is a delightful way to celebrate seasonal fruits while enjoying a refreshing and light dessert. Whether served at a summer gathering, a special celebration, or as a sweet treat for afternoon tea, this tart is sure to impress with its stunning presentation and harmonious flavors.
| 8 | 1h | Easy |
|---|---|---|
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Ingredients
- 260 gr. Strawberries (the small ones)
- 300 gr. greek yougurt
- 2 kiwis
- 25 gr. honey
- 2.5 gr. agar agar
- Pastry (see recipie here)
- 1 Chamomile tea bag
Method
- Roll the pastry to a thickness of 3 mm.
- Butter and flour a baking pan (about 25 cm in diameter).
- Place the pastry in the pan, cover with baking paper, and fill with dried beans or baking weights. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes.
- Remove the paper and beans, then bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Once baked, let the pastry cool completely before removing it from the pan.
- Mix the yogurt with honey, then fill the pastry shell with the mixture.
- Clean and slice the kiwifruit, and begin decorating the tart with thin slices. Arrange the strawberries in the center.
- Boil 500 grams of water and prepare the chamomile tea. Once ready, add the agar-agar, stir quickly, and let it boil for another 15–20 seconds.
- Pour the liquid into a shallow dish and let it cool.
- Once set, scrape the jelly with a fork to create shavings and use them to garnish the tart.
Agar, or agar-agar, is a gelatinous substance derived from red algae. Historically, and still today, it is primarily used as an ingredient in desserts across Asia. Over the past century, it has also gained widespread use as a solid substrate for microbiological culture media. This gelling agent is an unbranched polysaccharide extracted from the cell walls of certain red algae species, mainly from the genera Gelidium and Gracilaria, or seaweed (Sphaerococcus eucheuma). Commercial production largely relies on Gelidium amansii.
Agar-agar serves various purposes: it can be used as a laxative, a vegetarian gelatin substitute, a thickener for soups, in jellies, ice creams, and other desserts, as a clarifying agent in brewing, and for sizing paper and fabrics. Chemically, agar is a polymer composed of repeating units of the sugar galactose. The polysaccharides in agar provide the primary structural support for the cell walls of algae.
Agar-agar is a natural, plant-based alternative to gelatin. White and semi-translucent, it is available commercially in the form of dried strips or powder. It is commonly used to make jellies, puddings, and custards. To prepare jelly, the agar is boiled in water until fully dissolved, after which sweeteners, flavorings, colorings, fruit, or vegetables are added. The mixture is then poured into molds to set and can be served as a dessert, a vegetable aspic, or incorporated into other confections, such as a jelly layer on a cake.