Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart with Almond Crust

Strawberry season is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest! Unlike the Midwest, where it felt as though the strawberry season was a one week window, here we get strawberries for many weeks. I am taking full advantage of it! Because Jeff and I have been working hard to eat seasonally, I haven’t had a fresh strawberry since last July.

So, when we saw the strawberries appear at the Farmers Market, we went nuts! I’ve been buying a flat a week! I’ll be eating them as much as possible until they disappear and I can’t have them again until next year. I know it seems a little sad to only get this amazing fruit for such a short period of time, but that’s part of what makes them taste so amazing when you do get them. Plus, if you eat seasonally and locally, you’ll be eating fruit that is picked at the height of ripeness and you’ll be purchasing it at its freshest! The taste can’t be beat. Additionally, the pleasure of the season can be preserved for later by freezing the fruit or making jams, jellies and preserves.

However, what I was craving most of all was a strawberry-rhubarb tart. I love the combination of the sweet strawberry and the tangy rhubarb, but I was struggling to find the tart crust I wanted to highlight this wonderful flavor combination. As you may have noticed, I love Eating Well Magazine and their wonderful cookbooks. This crust is a revised version this Eating Well Raspberry-Almond Crumble Tart recipe, and it works just as well with the strawberry-rhubarb combo!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart with Almond Crust

     3 cups sliced rhubarb
     3 ½ cups sliced strawberries
     ¾ cup sliced almonds
     2 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons Truvia®, divided
     1 ⅓ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
     ½ teaspoon salt
     6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
     1 large egg yolk
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     ¼ teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰F.Mix strawberries, rhubarb and 2 tablespoons Truvia® in a bowl and set aside while preparing the crust.
2. Combine almonds and sugar Truvia® in a food processor; pulse until the almonds are finely ground and incorporated with the sugar Truvia®. Set aside ½ cup of the mixture.
3. Add 1⅓ cups flour and salt to the remaining mixture in the food processor and pulse to blend. With the motor running, add butter a few pieces at a time until well incorporated.
4. Stir egg yolk, vanilla and almond extracts together in a small bowl until blended. With the motor running, add to the processor and pulse, occasionally using a spatula to scrape down the sides, until the mixture begins to clump and form a dough, about 1 minute (the mixture will look like crumbly sand). Set aside ⅓ cup of the mixture for the topping.
5. Transfer the remaining dough to the prepared tart pan; spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust.
6. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour to the reserved ½ cup almond mixture; stir to blend. Gently toss 2 tablespoons of this mixture with the strawberry-rhubarb mixture until coated. Spread the strawberry-rhubarb mixture evenly in the tart pan. Sprinkle the remaining almond mixture over the tart. Pinch the reserved dough into small clumps to make crumbs and sprinkle the crumbs on top of the tart.
7. Bake the tart for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300⁰ and bake until the crust and crumbs are golden brown, about 45-60 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Remove the pan sides and cut into 8 pieces.