Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream
Have you ever seen those beautiful tarts in french bakeries? This yummy dessert is inspired them, using vanilla pastry cream and beautiful, in season fruits to adorn the top.
What makes the tarts look stunning and glossy is the apricot glaze that’s brushed on top. If you’re going to make these ahead of time, get each part of the tart ready and then assemble it before eating. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
Tart dough
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Pastry cream (Creme Patissiere)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 4 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Fruit and glaze
- Assorted fruit: Mix of strawberries blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple, or oranges
- Optional glaze: 2 tbsp apricot jam and 1 tbsp water
Instructions
For the tart dough
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In a food processor or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, lightly pulse together flour, sugar, and salt.
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Cut butter into small squares and add to flour mixture. Pulse together until it looks like sand. Make sure there are no large chucks of butter. Break them up by hand.
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Add in cold water and vanilla. Pulse until combined. Create a dish with the dough and cover completely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
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Once the dough is chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is in a large circle and about 1/8 in thick. Place the dough in a tart or springform pan. Patch up any thin areas or holes with extra dough.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and add in pie weights, dried beans, rice, or heavy coins to blind bake the dough. While the oven is heating, leave the dough in the refrigerator.
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Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights. Continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool completely.
For the pastry cream
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Heat heavy cream, milk, salt, and vanilla paste or extract in a saucepan over low heat until it simmers, but doesn’t boil.
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In a heatproof bowl, add in the sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch mixture. When the milk is heated, slowly pour half of it into the eggs while whisking them constantly to temper the eggs. When the eggs are warm and still liquid form, add them into the saucepan with the rest of the milk mixture.
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Cook the egg yolk and milk mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until it thickens and looks glossy. Take it off the heat and stir in the butter.
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Set the custard in a bowl and immediately cover the entire surface with plastic wrap so it prevents a custard skin from forming. Let cool completely before chilling the pastry cream in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to use. You can set the bowl in an ice bath to speed it up.
To assemble
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Once the pastry cream is set, add a layer of the cream into each tart. Arrange fruit on top. Apply the optional glaze on top of the fruit to give it a nice shine.
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Remove each tart from the tart pan and slice into wedges. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
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