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MOM’S STRAWBERRY TARTLETS

MAKES 6 TARTLETS

1½ cups hulled quartered strawberries

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Nonstick cooking spray

5 ounces Maria crackers (about 32 crackers;) or graham crackers (about 10 whole crackers)

¼ cup (packed) minced piloncillo (about 2 ounces) or dark brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup sour cream

My mom made a variation of this dessert from the time I was a little girl. I’m not exactly sure where she got the recipe, but I know it came from one of my aunts in Guadalajara. You just need to know that my uncle Ernesto would drive from his house in San Diego across the border into Tijuana to go to my mom’s house when she announced she was making strawberry pie. It’s not traditional or very Mexican, especially in its original form. She used to use a store-bought graham-cracker pie crust (which you are free to use), but I have concocted a much tastier crust using the traditional Maria cracker and piloncillo (unrefined solid cane sugar, usually found in the shape of small truncated cones). What I absolutely left alone is the filling—a fluffy, creamy, perfectly sweet filling that I could eat an entire bowl of if given a spoon. The amounts given will also work with a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom if you don’t want to make individual tartlets.

Mix the strawberries and the 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl to combine. Let the strawberries macerate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place six 3½ x ¾-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms on a baking sheet. Spray the tartlet pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the crackers and piloncillo in a food processor, and process to form coarse crumbs. Add the butter and process until the crumbs come together. Press the crumbs into the prepared tartlet pans. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the tartlet shells are golden brown. Let them cool completely.

Using an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl until fluffy. Add the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar and whip until well combined. Drain the strawberries from the macerating liquid, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Fold the strawberries and the reserved liquid into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the strawberry filling into the tartlet shells, dividing it equally. (The tarts can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

GALLETAS MARIAS

Maria crackers are round sweet cookies with a vanilla flavor. They are the Mexican version of the English Marie biscuit. One of the most popular methods of eating Galletas Marias in Mexico is to spread cajeta, a goat’s-milk caramel spread, on a cracker and top it with another one to make a sandwich; this was the usual dessert in my lunchbox. They can be used in layered desserts as you would use ladyfingers.

DATE AND VANILLA CRÈME BRÛLÉE

SERVES 4

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup (packed) chopped dried pitted Medjool dates (about 5 ounces; see Tip)

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

5 large egg yolks

½ cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar

Dates were always around the house for snacking when I was a kid. Now I absolutely love to use them in both sweet and savory dishes. Large, dark-skinned Medjool dates are grown in the United States, Jordan, Israel, and now in Baja! I think they add a whole new dimension to an otherwise classic crème brûlée.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange four 1-cup ramekins inside a baking dish.

Combine the cream with the dates in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan; add the bean too. Bring the cream mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Discard the vanilla bean and transfer the cream mixture to a blender. Blend for 5 minutes, or until very smooth.

Whisk the egg yolks and the ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is pale in color and very smooth. Gradually add