Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Crust:

3 cups almond meal/flour

4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Combine and press into the bottom and sides of a 12 inch by 12 inch tart pan with your hands. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

8 ounces cream

8 ounces mascarpone cream, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 lemon, juice and zest

Blend everything until smooth. Pour into the crust and refrigerate for two hours or more before serving.

Decorate the top with fresh strawberries and chocolate shavings.

Gluten and Sugar-Free Almond Strawberry Pancakes

1 cup all purpose GF flour
1 tablespoon stevia
1 teaspoon GF baking powder
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup almond milk
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2 tablespoons orange zest
6 fresh strawberries, chopped
Blend all the ingredients together (except strawberries and sliced almonds) until smooth.

Heat a lightly buttered griddle or frying pan over medium heat. When griddle or pan is hot, pour a 1/4 cup of the batter into the griddle and scatter strawberries and almonds on top. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes). Flip over and cook a further 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter and strawberries.

Serve with maple syrup (warm).

Strawberry Ricotta Strudel

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon strawberry preserves

1/2 cup almond flour/meal

2 cups fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

8 sheets phyllo dough (18 1/4 by 11 1/2 inches), thawed 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and nutmeg, and toss well.

In a small bowl, combine strawberry preserves, lemon zest, and ricotta cheese. 

Unroll phyllo, cover unused portion with a damp kitchen towel as you work (to prevent it from drying out). Cover work surface with parchment paper. Place a sheet of phyllo on parchment, brush evenly and lightly with melted butter. Cover with another sheet of phyllo, and brush again with butter. Sprinkle half the almond flour over this layer. Repeat process with two more layers of phyllo and remaining almond meal, then top with two more layers of buttered phyllo.

With the long side of the pastry toward you, spread ricotta/preserves mixture lengthwise, spoon strawberries on top (keep about 1" from each edge clear). Fold the ends in, then gently roll up the dough.

Brush strudel with melted butter, then lift it on to a prepared baking sheet.  Cut small slits on top of the strudel and bake for 40 minutes or until dough is a golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and let it sit to cool for about 20 minutes.

Strawberry Cake

2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs, room temperature

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons orange zest

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

2 tablespoons strawberry preserve, room temperature

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating to combine. Add milk and whisk to combine. Sift the dry ingredients. Add orange zest and fold in to the wet mixture to combine (don't over mix!).

In a prepared 12 inch by 12 inch tart pan (or similar), Press some of the batter to cover the bottom of tart pan. Arrange sliced strawberries on top. Brush with strawberry preserve. With floured hands, randomly dot the remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.