Ingredients
For the shortbread base:
- 230g plain flour
- 40g cocoa powder
- 25g semolina or if you don’t have it then add 25g of cornflour or plain flour
- 140g caster sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
For the cream cheese filling:
- 400g cream cheese (ideally full fat – 2 standard tubs)
- 70g icing sugar
- 240ml double or whipping cream
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp of lemon zest
For the strawberries:
- 500g British strawberries (halve or quarter if large but leave some whole)
- 4 tbsp of caster sugar
- 3 tbsp of elderflower cordial
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- For the shortbread base, put the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl or into the bowl of the food processor.
- Stir together or whizz in the food processor.
- Chop the butter into chunks and rub it in with your fingertips or whizz in the food processor.
- Bring the dough together with your hands.
- Line a nine-inch loose-bottomed cake tin with non-stick baking paper.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the tin and into the base (this is easier if you dip your fingertips in cold water then press down with a fork).
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until it is dry to the touch.
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool (it will harden as it cools) in the tin before turning it out onto a serving plate or cake stand.
- For the filling, put the cream cheese and icing sugar into a large bowl and beat until thick and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and the cream and whip until thick.
- Gently fold in the lemon zest.
- For the strawberries, put them into a bowl (halve and remove tops).
- Spoon over the sugar and elderflower cordial and stir gently.
- Put to one side to release their juices and go syrupy (about 45 minutes at room temperature is perfect).
To assemble:
- Carefully peel the baking paper from the bottom of the shortbread.
- Use a little bit of the cream cheese mixture to stick the shortbread to your plate or cake stand.
- Pile the cream cheese mixture on top of the shortbread.
- Spoon the strawberries on top, put any leftover strawberry syrup into a little jug and spoon over the tart once it has been sliced onto individual plates.
- Decorate with edible flowers, elderflower blossom, sprigs of thyme or lavender or mint leaves to decorate.
- Serve immediately.