Half of the 6L basket acquired from Downey's was mine. As we all know, freshly picked farm produce requires immediate handling and utilization. Berries are already ripe when picked and thus imposes a shelf life that rapidly plummets from the very minute one departs the farm.
The quality of my haul was assessed later that evening, revealing seed-speckled bulbs that were juicy, yet not overly sweet nor fragrant. They fit snugly in the palm of my hand, exuding a textbook-like visual with uniformity in redness and soft, leafy crown - or "calyx", to be specific in terminology. The "receptacle" was fleshy but fragile, unable to withstand external pressure; at this stage, the strawberries were ideal for eating out of hand, but required strategic treatment for incorporation into baking projects. At room temperature, they could be maintained for up to three days, and up to six days when transferred to the fridge. Neither case would be satisfactory for decorating the top of a whipped cream cake though, due to inadequate rigidity.
Anatomy of Strawberry | Source: ResearchGate - Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2024
Regardless, I was pleased overall, since discard was minimal (no white parts near the stem!) and the strawberries weren't criminally tiny, watery, and bland like Andrew's Scenic Acres (908). Downey's was a solid runner-up to Whittamore's, which unfortunately closed permanently a few years ago.
Determining Value
A 6L basket had set us back $48. Assuming that I had halved the quantity perfectly, this equated an effective take-home amount of 3L for $24, or 1 L for $8. Out of curiosity, I decided to weigh my portion of the haul to compare against grocery store prices:
3L ~= 1926 g (stem on, unwashed)
1926 g / $24 = $0.012/g OR 80 g/$
A 6L basket had set us back $48. Assuming that I had halved the quantity perfectly, this equated an effective take-home amount of 3L for $24, or 1 L for $8. Out of curiosity, I decided to weigh my portion of the haul to compare against grocery store prices:
3L ~= 1926 g (stem on, unwashed)
1926 g / $24 = $0.012/g OR 80 g/$
- Loblaws Price: $5.00/454 g = $0.011/g
- Food Basics Price: $5.98/454 g = $0.013/g
- Walmart Price: $1.94/454 g = $0.004/g
Note: Grocery store prices are generated in June 2025, with possible variance in terms of strawberry origin and brand (Driscoll's, FOXY, or other).
My conclusions about strawberry picking can be found below:
| Pros:
| Cons:
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Creations resulting from the trip included:
1) Strawberry Jam
At long last, I have updated my tried-and-true recipe to include metric measurements! Due to the tragic demise of my bread maker, I've been taking to crafting the concoction on the stovetop as of late. With this in mind, it is likely that I'll revise to include a V3 edition, compiled manually.
1) Strawberry Jam
At long last, I have updated my tried-and-true recipe to include metric measurements! Due to the tragic demise of my bread maker, I've been taking to crafting the concoction on the stovetop as of late. With this in mind, it is likely that I'll revise to include a V3 edition, compiled manually.
Ingredients:
It should also be noted that the bread maker recipes use frozen strawberries, therefore does not allow for a 1:1 swap by mass, since more water = more weight.
- 2 cups / 516 g fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup / 180 g granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1.5 tbsp / 15 g gelatin
It should also be noted that the bread maker recipes use frozen strawberries, therefore does not allow for a 1:1 swap by mass, since more water = more weight.
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Directions
- Add strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium saucepot. Bring to a boil and simmer until all sugar dissolves and strawberries are softened.
- Add gelatin to cold water, then gently heat in a microwave for 10 seconds or less. Once fully dissolved, add into saucepot and stir until slightly thickened. There should be minimal liquid at the bottom of the saucepot at this point.
- Transfer to an airtight jar and cool for at least 8 hours, or ideally overnight.
- Serve and enjoy!
2) Tanghulu (Failed)
The abundance of strawberries and their uniformity prompted me to undertake a tanghulu project out of curiosity. Having tried the skewers in Myeongdong, my aim was to prepare a version that did not possess an extra-thick sugar coating capable of piercing the insides of one's mouth upon puncture.
The abundance of strawberries and their uniformity prompted me to undertake a tanghulu project out of curiosity. Having tried the skewers in Myeongdong, my aim was to prepare a version that did not possess an extra-thick sugar coating capable of piercing the insides of one's mouth upon puncture.
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Due to its popularity as a fad food, videos surrounding the street snack are prevalent, but proper recipes are next to none. After skimming the results, I determined the formula to be a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water. The components would be dissolved in a saucepot (no stirring!) and ready for use after reaching 300 F.
"Tempering" sugar is nothing new to me, for the technique has been used in Dalgona and Swiss/Italian meringues. Of course, there is a learning curve required to determine indicators of readiness. I was prepared to fail, but reality often presents itself in unexpected ways.
"Tempering" sugar is nothing new to me, for the technique has been used in Dalgona and Swiss/Italian meringues. Of course, there is a learning curve required to determine indicators of readiness. I was prepared to fail, but reality often presents itself in unexpected ways.
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Although my sugar syrup had been prepared properly, my skewers of strawberries were ultimately too soft for the job. They refused to rotate when dunked into the sugar syrup, eventually dislodging from the wooden apparatus altogether, scorching in the syrup, and interfering with the overall water-to-sugar ratio.
The result was a vibrant red hard candy, as well as the unexpected formation of basi (拔絲), fine strands of sugar popularized by Culinary Class Wars.
The result was a vibrant red hard candy, as well as the unexpected formation of basi (拔絲), fine strands of sugar popularized by Culinary Class Wars.
Days later, the hard candy persisted with tooth-shattering properties. This confirmed that I had conquered to trickiest step of the process, but faltered due to ingredient selection.
3) Strawberry Custard Tart with Balsamic Glaze
Conducting research prior to strawberry picking, the most common uses appeared to be making jam or macerating berries in balsamic vinegar and sugar for use as a compote. I had already enacted the former and achieved spectacular results. Drawing inspiration from the strawberry-and-balsamic pairing, I decided on a custard tart topped with strawberries and balsamic glaze - a glaze, since only through stabilization would my custard remain intact.
Conducting research prior to strawberry picking, the most common uses appeared to be making jam or macerating berries in balsamic vinegar and sugar for use as a compote. I had already enacted the former and achieved spectacular results. Drawing inspiration from the strawberry-and-balsamic pairing, I decided on a custard tart topped with strawberries and balsamic glaze - a glaze, since only through stabilization would my custard remain intact.
A) Custard
Normally, one would commence a tart project by finalizing the base. In my case, the fillings required time to cool, thus were prepared first.
On the hunt for a custard cream filling, I turned towards Sunday Baking's Cookie Choux recipe. The filling was a two-part formula comprising of a yolk-based custard infused with vanilla and whipped cream. Once combined, the term was referred to as "crème diplomat"/diplomat cream.
Normally, one would commence a tart project by finalizing the base. In my case, the fillings required time to cool, thus were prepared first.
On the hunt for a custard cream filling, I turned towards Sunday Baking's Cookie Choux recipe. The filling was a two-part formula comprising of a yolk-based custard infused with vanilla and whipped cream. Once combined, the term was referred to as "crème diplomat"/diplomat cream.
A1) Pastry Cream
Ingredients:
Directions
Ingredients:
- 4 egg yolks
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 12 g AP flour
- 12 g cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 320 g milk
- 12 g unsalted butter
Directions
- Whisk yolks and sugar together. Add in flour and cornstarch and whisk again to combine. Set aside.
- Combine milk and vanilla bean paste in a saucepot. Bring to a simmer over low-medium heat. The mixture should be steaming but not bubbling, with no risk of film forming on the surface.
- Remove from heat and gradually add into the yolk mixture, stirring continuously.
- Strain the mixture back into the saucepot and continue cooking until thickened. Do NOT step away from the mixture and continue to whisk over low-medium heat.
- Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and allow to cool in the refrigerator for about two hours.
A2) Diplomat Cream
Ingredients:
Directions
It is noted that Sunday uses 100 g of heavy cream for 400 g of pastry cream. My pastry cream yield was 452 g, which would have corresponded to 114 g of heavy cream.
Theoretical:
452/400 = 1.145
100 x 1.145 = 114.5 g heavy cream
Actual:
152/114.5 = 1.328 = 33% increase!
Amidst the fatigue, I overshot the amount by a whopping 33%, leading to a thinner consistency than desired. In hindsight, the consistency should have been made more viscous for a tart filling and not used directly as a choux filling, which is often thinner.
Of the total yield of Diplomat cream, it is worth noting the tart did not require the total yield. 189 g of the prepared amount remained and was used to fill the 9 mini tarts resulting from poor dough rolling.
Ingredients:
- 458 g pastry cream
- 152 g heavy cream
Directions
- Beat heavy cream into soft peaks. Fold with pastry cream.
- Transfer into a piping bag until ready to use.
It is noted that Sunday uses 100 g of heavy cream for 400 g of pastry cream. My pastry cream yield was 452 g, which would have corresponded to 114 g of heavy cream.
Theoretical:
452/400 = 1.145
100 x 1.145 = 114.5 g heavy cream
Actual:
152/114.5 = 1.328 = 33% increase!
Amidst the fatigue, I overshot the amount by a whopping 33%, leading to a thinner consistency than desired. In hindsight, the consistency should have been made more viscous for a tart filling and not used directly as a choux filling, which is often thinner.
Of the total yield of Diplomat cream, it is worth noting the tart did not require the total yield. 189 g of the prepared amount remained and was used to fill the 9 mini tarts resulting from poor dough rolling.
B) Balsamic Glaze
The riskiest component of this project was a balsamic glaze, for a recipe simply did not exist! As such, I discovered a Pastry 101 video from Hanbit Cho regarding Neutral Glaze.
The riskiest component of this project was a balsamic glaze, for a recipe simply did not exist! As such, I discovered a Pastry 101 video from Hanbit Cho regarding Neutral Glaze.
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Ingredients:
Yield: 1.5 cups / 397 g glaze
- 50 g water
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 157 g corn syrup (90 g plain + 67 g golden)
- 15 g lemon juice
- 50 g balsamic vinegar
- 8 g gelatin
Yield: 1.5 cups / 397 g glaze
Directions
- Combine water, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepot. Hanbit does not add in lemon juice at this stage, but I did by accident.
- Heat the sugar-water mixture until 105 C. Add in balsamic vinegar and stir to incorporate. Add in bloomed gelatin.
- Transfer to heatproof bowl and cover tightly with cling film. Allow to cool in the fridge until ready to use.
- When ready to use, gently warm to 30 C for glazing.
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Although I approached the element with uncertainty, results exceeded my expectations.
The essence of balsamic was potent, while the acidic component contrasted against the high concentration of processed sugars in an almost-tangsuyuk-dipping-sauce way. Due to inadequate corn syrup, I compensated with golden corn syrup. The profile is comparatively malty and its hue darker; given that I had intended to add balsamic vinegar anyway, keeping the glaze colour-neutral was not necessary.
The essence of balsamic was potent, while the acidic component contrasted against the high concentration of processed sugars in an almost-tangsuyuk-dipping-sauce way. Due to inadequate corn syrup, I compensated with golden corn syrup. The profile is comparatively malty and its hue darker; given that I had intended to add balsamic vinegar anyway, keeping the glaze colour-neutral was not necessary.
Take care when pouring the glaze on top of any non-acidic component, as separation and curdling were witnessed when combining the glaze with the Diplomat cream. I now understand why Sunday recommends freezing the cakes before glazing, as to achieve a clean finish without risk of disintegration of the underlying layers.
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Any excess glaze solidifies into a solid mass that can later be warmed (10 seconds in the microwave) for glazing other items, or served as is with fresh strawberries.
C) Strawberries
Washing and slicing of strawberries would take place immediately after compilation of the fillings, for they would be drained on a paper towel for about 1-2 hours before being placed in the tart.
568 g of strawberries were used for this project, however at least 1 cup remained. Regardless, it is good practice to wash more than necessary, as some may begin to disintegrate after washing, thus requiring discard.
Washing and slicing of strawberries would take place immediately after compilation of the fillings, for they would be drained on a paper towel for about 1-2 hours before being placed in the tart.
568 g of strawberries were used for this project, however at least 1 cup remained. Regardless, it is good practice to wash more than necessary, as some may begin to disintegrate after washing, thus requiring discard.
D) Tart Shell / Pâte sucrée
I had previously prepared two discs of SK's yolk-based tart crust, only to forget to transfer them from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight. Preparing another tart shell posed less risk than forcefully increasing the temperature of a butter-heavy compound, and so I did just that.
But instead of using SK's method, I looked towards Sunday instead.
I had previously prepared two discs of SK's yolk-based tart crust, only to forget to transfer them from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight. Preparing another tart shell posed less risk than forcefully increasing the temperature of a butter-heavy compound, and so I did just that.
But instead of using SK's method, I looked towards Sunday instead.
Comparing ingredient amounts for SK's 9-in tart and Sunday's six-piece individual tart, it was observed that ingredients were nearly identical - save that SK used one whole egg yolk while Sunday used half of a beaten egg. Similar to roll-out cookies, I presumed the resulting shell to be snappier than tender and more pliable but temperature-sensitive. I was proven correct for both of these assumptions.
Ingredients:
- 190 g AP flour
- 60 g icing sugar
- pinch of salt
- 125 g unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 egg (25 g)
Directions
- Whisk together flour, icing sugar, and salt in a large bowl
- Gently incorporate cold, diced butter into flour mixture with fingertips, aspiring to prevent introduction of warmth through one's palms.
- Add in beaten egg and knead together until a dough forms. Do not over knead.
- Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll to fit tart pan and trim any off any overhang.
- Optionally, brush surface and edges with egg wash. Bake at 350 F for 17-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before filling.
The disc was chilled for about thirty minutes before rolling, as I feared several things:
Similar to cookie doughs containing whole egg, a work surface liberally dusted with flour was needed to facilitate rolling. The underside of the dough stuck to my Silpat several times, prompting frequent sprinkling of flour and shifting the dough between rolls. Ultimately, I likely rolled the dough too thin, for I had somehow acquired enough overhang to fill nine mini tart shells.
- Prolonged chilling causing rigidity and increased wait time
- Butter in the disc beginning to soften and ooze moisture in the face of a warm kitchen, and even warmer external conditions
- Overworking the dough to result in unwanted gluten formation, as egg whites contain liquid proteins after all
Similar to cookie doughs containing whole egg, a work surface liberally dusted with flour was needed to facilitate rolling. The underside of the dough stuck to my Silpat several times, prompting frequent sprinkling of flour and shifting the dough between rolls. Ultimately, I likely rolled the dough too thin, for I had somehow acquired enough overhang to fill nine mini tart shells.
When my ever-unreliable oven caused a prominent crack to emerge after baking, I was required to think quickly. A thin layer of tempered white chocolate was distributed across the bottom of the tart, acting as a sealant to prevent permeation of moisture into the tart and, consequently, inevitable sogginess.
No chocolate would be used to seal the mini tart shells though. In hindsight, I ought to have poked a few holes in the base as well, for they emerged convex after baking.
No chocolate would be used to seal the mini tart shells though. In hindsight, I ought to have poked a few holes in the base as well, for they emerged convex after baking.
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E) Assembly
Tart components were assembled in the following order, bottom to top:
Tart Base → White Chocolate → Diplomat Cream → Strawberries (cut side up), Balsamic Glaze
Tart components were assembled in the following order, bottom to top:
Tart Base → White Chocolate → Diplomat Cream → Strawberries (cut side up), Balsamic Glaze
All was progressing smoothly until the pouring of the glaze, for concentrating the pour on top of the not-so-viscous diplomat cream led to hole-like depressions, followed by mixing and curdling of the components. Due to a shrunken tart crust and not very even surface, glaze runoff was also not uncommon. The result was an incredibly sticky tart with somewhat sodden edges, as well as visuals that were distinctly less desirable than imagined.
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I'd switch to using a pastry brush when glazing the mini tarts, purposely "under-glazing" out of caution. Revealed in the outcome were partially glazed strawberries, along with the inevitable colour change corresponding to oxidization of exposed surfaces.
For the mini tarts, the vanilla custard roughly retained the shape of the piping tip. The bottoms were a tad softer than desired, though all feedback received confirmed that, while the exterior wasn't crunchy by any means, it definitely did not infer dampness either. Due to my sparing application of the balsamic glaze, only hints of the sweet-acidic component were detectable across the handheld portions.
Final takeaways:
Tart Crust
Strawberries/Fresh Fruit
Vanilla Custard
Balsamic Glaze
Tart Crust
- Sunday's half-egg formula offers a snappier alternative to SK's tender yolk-based recipe. It requires minimal chilling but extra caution to prevent rolling too thin. Cracking is more common in Sunday's recipe, so be mindful when baking at 350 F or higher.
- In the case of cracking, an exceptionally thin layer of tempered white chocolate - no more than 2 mm! - works wonders as a sealant. Beyond reinforcing the base and preventing penetration of moisture, it adds a distinctive crunch without overwhelming the overall combination with the flavour of chocolate.
Strawberries/Fresh Fruit
- Laying out the strawberries to dry is a crucial step in preventing colour transfer and weeping. Do not skip this step!
Vanilla Custard
- The inclusion of both vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract is important for visual appeal and heightened complexity.
- For a slice-able tart, it is recommended to reduce the amount of whipped cream in the Diplomat cream. In this iteration, a 1:3 ratio of whipped cream to pastry cream was used. Future attempts at crafting a custard based intended for tart filling shall see a reduction in whipped cream, likely 1:6 or lower, for improved structural integrity.
Balsamic Glaze
- Ingredient quantities were purely an estimate but yielded a delectable harmony of sweet and tangy; altering the ratio is not recommended.
- Should the density difference be minimal, use a pastry brush to apply the glaze instead of directly pouring on top. Alternatively, freeze the base before glazing for best results.
After an entire day's worth of labour and countless dishes, I am proud to declare my conceptual project a success! My sole gripes lay with the flavourful but slack custard and poor application technique of glaze.
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