Feeling Romantic? Try This Strawberry Basil Tart

I first heard about strawberry basil tart from my wildly romantic French friend who swears this dessert has been proven to woo even the toughest suitor. And she is right, this one's a heart melter. So if you've got your eye on someone special, you may want to make this for them. Or even better, make it just for you. Oui oui oui! Sweep your own self off your feet, you deserve it!

I am a huge fan of the intoxicating fragrance that basil can lend to desserts and this sexy summery tart really shows off the magical pairing of juicy strawberries and fresh basil, brought together in a velvety custard and almond sweet pastry shell.

This recipe may seem complicated at first glance but it's actually quite simple once you break it down into its four main components. The first is the crust: a light and crispy sweet pastry (pâte sucrée), made with ground almonds that tastes like a buttery cookie. The second part is a pastry cream (crème pâtissière), a type of custard traditionally used in fruit tarts and French pastries such as choux à la crème or éclairs. This version is perfumed with fresh chopped basil. The third element is the easiest: sliced fresh strawberries! And the fourth and final touch is a silky basil syrup to glaze the strawberries before serving.

The basil simple syrup is best made the night recipe before so it can absorb as much of the aroma as possible before straining out the basil leaves. It will yield about a cup of syrup, which is more than you will need for this tart. But not to worry, this syrup is wonderful to have on hand for making summery sodas and cocktails, such as my strawberry basil spritzer.

Now. A word about basil. Basil is a delicate creature. It yearns to be pampered, handled lovingly, and sliced ever so caringly. I used to chop basil as if I was bushwacking my way through the back country and the frightened leaves would quickly turn into a blackened heap, losing their vibrant green and splendid perfume. This hilarious video from Gluten-Free-Girl and The Chef is how I finally learned to properly chop (chiffonade) basil.

In closing, a word about strawberries. Sadly, strawberries are on the "Dirty Dozen" list that the Environmental Working Group publishes each year, identifying the twelve foods containing the highest and most toxic levels of pesticide residues. Over fifty different types of pesticides are routinely found on strawberries which are shown to exceed acceptable residue levels more often than any other fruit or vegetable. So I highly recommend buying certified organically-grown strawberries. Or better yet, find a local organic strawberry "pick-your-own", bring a picnic, and make a day of it! I can think of no better way to spend a sunny June afternoon.