Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Cream

Strawberries are the perfect accompaniment to a summer dessert, and this recipe makes for an easy treat so you can spend your evening relaxing on the patio with a cool drink rather than fussing over a dessert inside. The hardest part of the whole recipe is to keep yourself from eating the vanilla cream with a spoon. So as long as you have a little self-control you're all good.

Vanilla Cream

• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

Vanilla Cream Directions:

1. Blend the vanilla, sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Add more vanilla extract if it is too thick (should not form peaks when stirred). Set aside until you're ready to serve the tart.

StrawberryTart Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to directions on the package
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Tart Directions:

1. Preheat the oven 400 F. 
2. Beat the egg, cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla with a whisk until smooth and almost pillowy, about 3 minutes.
3. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle about 1/2" thick (roughly 10x16"). Prick the dough with a fork every three inches or so.
4. Blind bake for 4 minutes, then remove the puff pastry from the oven. Spoon and spread the cream cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving about 1 inch border un-touched (like a pizza). Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until the pastry is golden around the edges.
5. Top with the sliced strawberry wedges and let it cool to room temp before drizzling on the vanilla cream. Use a pizza cutter to slice up the tart into squares before serving, as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

There is nothing quite like the smell of vanilla. I don't mean that fake vanilla lotion or candle scent -- it's not the same as a real vanilla extract. It's like holiday cheer in a bottle. Plus, with this recipe, you're essentially mixing rum and vanilla beans, and that combination is just heavenly.
When I was making this I didn't want to be done because it smelled so darn good. I know, that's kind of silly, but once you get your hands on some fresh vanilla beans you'll have an Aha moment and finally understand what I mean by, there is nothing quite like it.

I had first seen this on many food blog and DIY blogs online, and the recipe seemed consistent, and the presentations similar: alcohol, vanilla beans, bottles, corks. To be honest, it is on the pricey side of homemade gifts, but it is something that can be used more than once so it has a long-term value for the receiver. Plus, it's not very often that you receive homemade vanilla extract, so it's a fun and unique thing to give away during the holidays.

Most recipes online call for just two beans per bottle, but I enjoy a richer vanilla flavor so I actually add 3 beans per bottle plus the caviar of one-two additional beans scooped into the bottle. This is a matter of personal preference, so you can tweak the recipe to your liking.

You can buy individual vanilla beans in most grocery stores, but they are quite pricey (anywhere from $2-6 per bean!). I recommend buying them bulk online where you will pay a fraction of the price per bean from somewhere like Beanilla. Also, there are differences in vanilla bean flavors, and I have found that Madagascar vanilla beans lend a creamier flavor than others so that is what I used. 

I use dark rum for my vanilla extract, however you can use vodka if you prefer that instead. You see, it can be tweaked and tailored to suit your needs. Hooray!

Makes 6 bottles of homemade vanilla extract
Ingredients:

• 26 ounces of dark rum (750 ml)
• 6 5-6 oz. glass bottles with corks (can be found online or a local craft store)
• 30 vanilla beans
• Small funnel

Directions:

1. Gently split a vanilla bean by slicing halfway through the bean with a sharp knife lengthwise. Use the tip of the knife to spread the bean open, then run the blade down the bean to scrape out the vanilla caviar. Use the funnel to drop the caviar into your glass bottle. Do this twice for each bottle so that there is the caviar of two beans per bottle.
2. Next, gently slice an inch lengthwise in the middle of each remaining vanilla bean to expose the caviar, but do not scrape it out. Depending on the height of your bottle, you may want to trim the beans or cut them in half to fit in the bottle. Place 3 beans in each bottle. 
3. Using the funnel, pour about 4 oz. of rum into each bottle, or until filled with enough room to cork it.
4. Cork each bottle tightly and give them a good shake. Store in a cool, dry place for 8 weeks for optimal flavor, shaking the bottle a couple times per week. The vanilla will keep indefinitely as long as you top the bottle with rum as needed. I recommend that you replace the beans a couple times per year for the freshest taste.

I gave my vanilla extract away within a week of bottling (along with instructions for how to age it properly), because I have found that most people enjoy seeing the vanilla change over time. Plus, even at the beginning when it's more like rum with a little hint of vanilla, it tastes amazing! Think vanilla rum and coke, or vanilla-rum fudge! If you prefer to keep it a surprise, though, that is always a nice gift, too (beware, you might have a hard time stopping yourself from keeping it all to yourself!).
The pictures show the bottles before adding the rum, the color of the vanilla on day one, and the color of the vanilla 3 weeks in.

 This is another recipe I'd originally tried out with my friend Chelsey, and you can see what she's up to in the kitchen these days by visiting her blog, Curio of the Culinary World