Description
A classic French tart featuring a buttery pastry crust filled with rich vanilla pastry cream and topped with fresh, juicy strawberries.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the tart crust (Pâte Sucrée):
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1–2 tbsp cold water
- For the pastry cream (Crème Pâtissière):
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- For the topping:
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1/4 cup apricot jam (for glaze)
Instructions
- Make the tart crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add egg yolk and cold water, pulse until dough starts to come together. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out dough on a floured surface and fit into a 9-inch tart pan. Prick the bottom with a fork.
- Line crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake another 10 minutes until golden. Let cool.
- Make the pastry cream: In a saucepan, heat milk until just simmering.
- In a bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly whisk hot milk into egg mixture to temper. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and bubbling.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill until cold.
- Assemble the tart: Spread chilled pastry cream evenly in cooled tart shell.
- Arrange strawberries decoratively on top.
- Warm apricot jam slightly and brush over strawberries for a shiny glaze.
- Chill tart for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for best flavor.
- Can substitute with raspberries or mixed berries.
- Pastry cream can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg