Fresh Fruit Tart

I cannot believe it is already Memorial Day! While it is an important holiday to honor those we lost while serving our country, it is also the ceremonial start of Summer. It’s the time of the year when Summer is approaching, the weather is warming up, and all you want to do is be outside. I especially love going to BBQs. This year, I decided to make a desert to bring with to a family BBQ. I wanted to make something summery and patriotic. I decided to try a few recipes beforehand and instantly fell in love with this fresh fruit tart! It has a shortbread style crust which is buttery and full of flavor. The cream layer is deliciously creamy with a hint of vanilla, which tastes so good when combined with the berries. This tart is also great because you can use whatever fruit you like. I went with raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries to give the tart a more patriotic look, but you can use your own creativity when decorating. I would definitely recommend this delicious tart recipe, you won’t be sorry and neither will those who are lucky enough to get a piece. 

This tart recipe is made up of three part; the crust, the filling, and the topping. It is a bit time consuming to make, so make sure you plan enough time. However, you can make the dough and the cream ahead of time and assemble later. I know this recipe may seem a bit intense, but, trust me, it’s worth it!

                            

Ingredients

For Pastry Cream

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter (chilled)

For Crust:

2 cups half and half 

1/2 cup granulated sugar (divided)

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 table spoons unsalted butter (chilled)

2 teaspoons vanilla

For Topping 

2 cups strawberries  (halved)

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup raspberries 

Directions 

Pastry Cream

• To make the pastry cream, combine half and half, 6 tablespoons of sugar, and salt into a medium sized pot. Heat the mixture over medium heat while whisking occasionally until it begins to simmer. 
• Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the remaining sugar and whisk for about 30 seconds. Finally, add the corn starch and whisk for 30-45 seconds. 
• After the half and half mixture begins to simmer, remove it from the heat. Gradually add it to the egg mixture while continuously whisking the egg mixture. This process is called tempering, and it allows the cream to be incorporated into the egg mixture without scrambling the eggs. 
• Once the cream mixture is fully incorporated into the egg mixture, place the mixture back into the pot and cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. This will take roughly 30-45 seconds. 
• After the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat and add the butter and vanilla. It is important to strain the mixture into a bowl using a mesh strainer to maker sure there are no lumps. 
• Cover the cream with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is directly on top of the cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

Crust

• Mix egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Mix a few times to combine. 
• Cut the butter into 1 inch cubes and place on top of the flour mixture. Mix for about 20 seconds or until the butter is incorporated into the flour and the mixture resembles corse crumbs.
• Add the egg mixture to the food processor and mix for about 15 more seconds. 
• Once the dough is mixed together, remove it from the food processor and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while your dough is chilling
• After the dough has been chilled, remove it from the plastic wrap and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is around 1/4” in thickness. Transfer it to a 9” tart tin that has been well greased. You can use a rolling pin to roll on top of the tart tin in order to have a net edge on top of the tin. 
• Freeze the crust for about a half an hour. When the crust is cold, it is less likely to shrink during the baking process. 
• Once the crust is removed from the freezer, place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the crust and fill with pie weights. Bake the crust for 25-30 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes. 
• Remove the crust from the oven, and place on a cooling rack until the crust cools to room temperature. 

Assembly

• Once the crust has cooled, spoon in the chilled pastry cream. Remove the pastry ring and place the tart on a plate. 
• Finally, arrange the fruit on top. I arranged the raspberries in the center, the blueberries in the middle, and the strawberries on the outer ring. The tart tastes best if it is chilled for at least a half an hour before  serving. 

Bon Appetit! 

Recipe adapted from Baking Illustrated

XO Tres Chic