strawberry rhubarb tart

You're welcome.

If you guys don't already have Fourth of July baking plans, let me put this one on your list. It's as simple as you can get, using the best fresh summer ingredients for tons of flavor. Throw in a half hour of cooking time, and you've got a dish that's going to seriously wow any party you take it to.

Even if the party is just your family in the backyard.

(Which, we all know, is basically the best kind.)

I was on my way home a few weekends ago when I saw the most gorgeous, bright red rhubarb at Grand Central Market -- not the green-pink kind you usually see this time of the year, but gorgeous, vibrant stalks of it. 

I was so excited that I immediately tweeted about it, and Jen planted the idea of a rhubarb simple syrup in my head.  My version is a little thicker and more rustic -- not strained or blended -- but it's hearty enough for this tart and delicate enough for cocktails (coming up soon!).  The perfect mix.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 (8-ounce) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

2 cups strawberries, trimmed and sliced

1 cup sliced rhubarb (1 large stalk)

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, cook the rhubarb on medium-low heat with 1/4 cup of sugar, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of water until broken down and tender, about 20 minutes (add more water if it runs too low).

Preheat to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll the pastry into a large square. Cut the pastry into a large circle by trimming the corners. Spoon the rhubarb mixture into the circle, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges. Spread strawberries in an overlapping pattern over the rhubarb -- use the end pieces of the sliced strawberries in the middle of the circle to get the style I used.

Fold the pastry over itself, to cover the outer edges of the strawberries. Pierce the pastry lightly with a fork, and brush the top of the pastry with water. Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar over the strawberries.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is starting to turn golden. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream!