Makes 6 tarts
4 ounces/113 grams almond paste
¼ cup strawberry preserves (I like Bonne Maman brand)
1 ounce/28 grams freeze-dried strawberry slices
Pie Pastry, recipe follows
Egg wash (1 egg yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon water)
Glaze (optional), recipe follows
1. Roll: Sandwich almond paste between 2 sheets of parchment. Roll and trim to a 7½ x 8-inch rectangle. Spread evenly with the preserves. Dot with a few freeze-dried strawberries. Chill, uncovered. When cold, slice in half the long way and in thirds the short way, yielding 6 tiles, each 2½ x 4 inches.
2. Fill: (Note: if at any time pastry turns uncooperative, slide pastry, parchment and all, onto a baking sheet and slide sheet into the fridge for a few minutes.) Set one half-block of pastry on a floured sheet of parchment. Using as much flour as needed, roll out and trim to a 10½ x 10-inch rectangle, positioned horizontally. Using the tines of a fork or docking tool, speckle with holes. Brush off excess flour. Brush with egg wash. Slice top to bottom into three 3½-inch-wide strips. Center one marzipan tile on the bottom half of each strip. Fold each strip in half, top to bottom, forming three 3½ x 5-inch tarts. Press the edges firmly to seal. Press the edges again with the tines of a fork. Brush tops of tarts with egg wash. Repeat with remaining pastry and tiles. Chill tarts, uncovered, at least 2 hours.
3. Crisp: Bake tarts, separated by a couple inches, on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350 degrees until golden brown and flakey, about 34-36 minutes. Cool. When cool, drizzle with glaze, if you like.
Pie Pastry
(adapted from BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, by Stella Parks)
1¾ cups/211 grams all-purpose flour such as Gold Medal, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons/17 grams corn flour (or fine cornmeal)
1 tablespoon/16 grams granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
14 tablespoons/200 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1/2 cup ice-cold water
1. Mash: Sift flour, corn flour, sugar, and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Drop in butter cubes and toss to coat with flour. Using a strong thumb, mash each flour-dusted butter cube against the side of the bowl once. Drizzle in the water. With a soft spatula, bring the pastry together in a rough, ugly ball.
2. Fold: Generously flour a work surface and roll the ball onto it. Sprinkle with more flour. Roll into a 10 x 15-inch sheet, positioned vertically. Fold the top edge down and bottom edge up to meet in the center. Fold left edge to meet right, as though closing a book. Fold top down to meet bottom, forming a thick block. Cut the block in half.
Glaze: Sift ½ cup organic confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Drop in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk, drizzling in water, until glaze reaches a pourable consistency. If you like your glaze pink, crush a few freeze-dried strawberries to a powder and whisk in.