French Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
A classic French dessert featuring a buttery shortcrust shell filled with silky vanilla bean pastry cream and topped with glossy fresh strawberries.
Equipment
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 lb fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Prepare the crust by mixing flour, butter, powdered sugar, and egg yolk into a dough. Chill, then roll out and press into a tart pan. Blind bake at 375°F (190°C) until golden. Let cool completely.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Heat milk with the scraped vanilla bean until hot. Slowly temper the egg mixture with the hot milk while whisking.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened.
- Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill completely.
- Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled tart shell.
- Arrange halved strawberries in concentric circles over the cream.
- Warm and strain the apricot jam, then brush over the strawberries for a glossy finish. Serve.
Notes
Using a real vanilla bean gives the pastry cream a deep, authentic flavor with beautiful flecks. If strawberries are tart, add a teaspoon of powdered sugar to the glaze for balance.