Indulge in a delightful culinary journey with our tantalizing Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream, a symphony of flavors and textures that will captivate your senses. This delectable dessert features a crisp and buttery pastry crust, filled with a rich and velvety pastry cream, and adorned with an array of fresh, seasonal fruits. Each bite offers a perfect balance of sweetness, tartness, and creaminess, making it an irresistible treat for any occasion.
The pastry cream, the heart of this tart, is crafted with precision and care. A blend of milk, sugar, eggs, and cornstarch is gently heated until it thickens into a smooth and luscious custard. The addition of vanilla extract and lemon zest infuses it with a delicate aroma and a hint of citrusy freshness. This creamy filling is then poured onto the pre-baked tart shell and left to chill, creating a firm and stable layer.
To complete this masterpiece, an assortment of fresh fruits is artfully arranged on top of the pastry cream. From vibrant berries to juicy stone fruits, the choice of fruits is endless. Their vibrant colors and flavors add a touch of vibrancy and freshness to the tart, making it a visually stunning centerpiece for any gathering.
This Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream is a testament to the art of baking, combining classic techniques with modern flair. With its irresistible combination of flavors and textures, it is sure to become a favorite dessert among friends and family. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, this recipe provides step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to guide you through the process. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a delightful baking adventure. The result will be a stunning and delicious tart that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy.
FRESH FRUIT TART
I learned a million and one things while working at Payard Patisserie in New York City. It was a classic French kitchen filled with classically trained French pastry chefs. I picked up kitchen French full of slang and swears, I learned how to chablonner un biscuit joconde (which means to cover a thin cake with chocolate), I became a pro at rolling the heads of dozens of brioches a tete at four in the morning. I also learned tricks on how to extend the life of fresh fruit for several days when making a fruit tart. Every morning I would build stunning tarts with vivid berries and fresh currants and sliced apricots and then I would paint the fruit meticulously with a clear gelatin coating called nappage. The nappage kept the fruit looking fresh for a few days, which meant the tart could sit for several days and still be presentable. When I put fresh fruit tarts on the menu at Flour, I took a different approach. I wanted just the fruit--no nappage. This meant the tarts would only last a day. The fruit had to be perfectly ripe and fresh and able to stand on its own. It's a fleeting treat for sure but your reward is a delicate, crispy, sweet shell filled with fresh vanilla cream and piled high with the juiciest, ripest fruit, ready to eat out of hand.
Provided by Joanne Chang
Categories dessert
Time 6h
Yield One 8-inch tart (6 to 8 servings)
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Make the Pate Sucree. Make the Pastry Cream and set it aside.
- Remove the pate sucree from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and knead it slightly to make it malleable if it feels stiff. Using a rolling pin, press the dough to flatten it into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Generously flick flour over the work surface and the dough. Make sure the surface you are rolling on is well floured so that the dough does not stick to it; likewise, make sure the disk itself is floured well enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking to it. Carefully roll out the disk into a circle about 10 inches in diameter. Roll from the center of the disk outward and gently rotate the disk 90 degrees (a quarter-turn) after each roll to ensure that the disk gets stretched out evenly into a nice circle. Use a bench scraper to help move the dough by scraping underneath the dough and moving it around. Don't worry if the dough breaks a bit, especially toward the edges. You can easily patch these tears up once you've lined the tart pan.
- Once the dough circle is about 10 inches in diameter, dock it by poking it all over with a fork or a pastry docker (see Cook's Note). Roll it gently around the rolling pin, then unfurl it over an 8-inch tart pan. Press the dough into the tart pan, taking care to press into the corners. Trim the edge of the shell even with the top of the tart pan. Use any scraps or odd pieces to patch up any tears or missing bits. Make sure the entire tart pan is completely covered with dough, and press one last time all the way around to ensure that any holes have been patched up.
- Refrigerate the tart shell for at least 30 minutes to let the dough rest; the gluten needs a little time to relax so it doesn't shrink in the oven. (At this point you can wrap the tart shell well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2 weeks.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway through the baking time, until it is golden brown all around. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. (At this point the tart shell can be stored, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
- In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream until it holds a peak and is thick and soft. Fold the pastry cream into the whipped cream until thoroughly combined.
- Gently pop the tart shell out of the pan. Place the tart shell on a serving plate. (Hint: The tart shell has a tendency to slide around a bit, so anchor it to the plate by putting a small spoonful of the pastry cream mixture directly on the plate before placing the tart shell on it.) Fill the tart shell with the pastry cream mixture and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Stem and quarter the strawberries and place them on top of the cream with one cut side down, spaced randomly but evenly. Peel the kiwi and slice it in half lengthwise. Slice each half into 1/2 -inch-thick half-moons. (If using green grapes instead of kiwis, slice the grapes in half.) Place the kiwi slices in the cream against the cut side of the strawberries. Peel the mango and cut it into thin slices about 1 x 1 inch. Place the mango in the cream next to the kiwi. Slice the blackberries in half if they are large and place them in the cream in random places. Fill the empty spots on the tart with raspberries, blueberries, and any extra mango. The goal is to cover the whole tart with fruit and not have any cream visible. The tart must be eaten the same day it is assembled or it will get soggy. If not serving the tart immediately, store it in the refrigerator; serve within 6 hours.
- 1 large egg yolk (about 20 grams), at room temperature
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and light. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and paddle on low speed for about 30 seconds, until the flour is entirely incorporated. The mixture will look like wet sand. Add the egg yolk and mix until the dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Remove the dough from the bowl, press it into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before using. The dough can be tightly wrapped in plastic and stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk on medium-high heat until just before it comes to a boil, when bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. (Mixing the cornstarch into the sugar will prevent it from clumping when you add it to the egg yolks.) Whisk the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl until blended. Slowly whisk in the sugar-cornstarch mixture until completely incorporated. Remove the milk from the heat and slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs.
- When the milk is all whisked into the egg yolk mixture, return everything to the saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Whisk continuously and vigorously for about 1 minute. At first the mixture will be very frothy and liquid; as it cooks more, it will slowly start to thicken until the frothy bubbles disappear, the mixture starts to steam, and the whole thing become more viscous. After 1 minute, stop whisking every few seconds to see if the mixture has come to a boil. If not, keep whisking vigorously. As soon as you do see it boiling, whisk vigorously for about 10 seconds, then immediately pour the pastry cream through a sieve into an airtight container. Stir in the vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the pastry cream (to prevent a skin from forming) and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until cold, before using. The pastry cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
FRESH FRUIT TARTS
This recipe is for one big tart or four little tarts. The shells of individual tarts will bake a little faster, so watch them carefully as they bake. Also, use any fruit you want. Apples and bananas don't work well because they get brown and mushy. You can also use just one kind of fruit or many different kinds. For this recipe, I used some figs from my tree in my backyard! Go foraging in your neighborhood and see what you can find.
Provided by Duff Goldman
Categories dessert
Time 2h10m
Yield One 9-inch tart or four 4-inch mini tarts
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Make the crust: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream. In the bowl of a food processor with a blade attachment, pulse the flour, butter, sugar and salt until no big chunks of butter remain. Slowly add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture. Blend to combine but don't overwork the dough.
- Remove the dough and, turning it out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it 4 or 5 times to incorporate.
- Divide the dough in half if making one large tart. Divide the dough into four pieces if making mini tarts. Flatten the dough pieces into discs with your hands, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. (Freeze any remaining pieces for another project for up to 3 months.)
- Make the pastry cream: Put a damp kitchen towel under a medium bowl and whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the sugar until the yolks are lighter in color, about 2 minutes. (The towel will ensure the bowl doesn't slide around.) Add the cornstarch and salt, whisk again, and set the bowl aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the remaining sugar 1/4 cup sugar and cook until the mixture almost boils, 4 to 5 minutes. With one hand, start whisking the egg yolk mixture; with the other hand, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the bowl, whisking until all the milk is incorporated.
- Pour the custard back into the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring constantly, on medium-high heat, until the mixture is thick and one bubble plops up on top, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the custard from the heat and pour into a clean medium bowl. Don't scrape the pot if the bottom looks burned or like scrambled eggs. Now, stir in the butter and vanilla. Keep stirring until the butter melts. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl so it is touching the pastry cream, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Bake the tart shell or shells: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a circle (about 9 inches across and 1/2 inch thick for one large tart and about 6 inches across and 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick for four mini tarts.
- Lay the dough onto the tart pan, and then using your fingers, gently press it down. Try not to tear the dough or make it too thin. Ideally, it should be an even thickness all the way across.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully trim the edges so the dough is perfectly even with the top of the tart shell (see Cook's Note). Place the tart shell on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a fork, poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of the tart shell to keep bubbles from forming during baking. Refrigerate the tart shell for 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tart shells if using.
- Remove the pan or pans from the fridge and lay a piece of parchment over the chilled dough. Fill the uncooked tart shell with pie weights or dried beans or uncooked rice.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then, using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Return the baking sheet to the oven, continuing to bake until the crust is golden brown, 5 to 8 more minutes. Let the pan or pans cool on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze and finish the tart: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the apricot jam and water. Stir with a fork as it cooks until the mixture is a thin, shiny liquid, about 3 minutes.
- Take the pastry cream from the fridge and, in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat the pastry cream to loosen it up. Spread the pastry cream in a thin 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer on the bottom of the tart shell.
- Carefully cut the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, mangos and figs. Arrange the fruit so there is no visible pastry cream. (You can make the tart look awesome by laying the fruit in cool patterns.)
- Once the fruit is arranged, use a soft pastry brush to paint it with the warm apricot glaze. Don't leave any bare spots. Make sure to glaze all the fruit. Take your time.
- Cut and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
Tips:
- For the Perfect Pastry Cream: Ensure you use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to prevent scorching. Stir continuously over medium heat until thickened, and use a whisk to avoid lumps. For a richer flavor, use vanilla bean seeds instead of extract. Allow the pastry cream to cool completely in the refrigerator before using.
- Fresh Fruit Selection: Choose ripe, seasonal fruits for the tart. Berries, stone fruits, and citrus are classic choices. Use a variety of colors and textures for a visually appealing tart.
- Blind Baking the Tart Crust: Trim the edges of the pastry dough to create a clean, even border. Use a fork to lightly prick the bottom of the dough to prevent air bubbles. Line the tart pan with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to weigh the dough down. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is set.
- Arranging the Fruit: Before assembling the tart, pat the fruit dry to remove excess moisture. Arrange the fruit slices or berries in a concentric circle, starting from the outer edge and working your way towards the center. Leave a small border of pastry crust around the edge.
- Finishing Touches: Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the surface of the fruit with a glaze made of apricot preserves or honey. This will add a glossy sheen and help preserve the fruit. Chill the tart for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Conclusion:
With its buttery pastry crust, velvety pastry cream, and vibrant fresh fruit, this Fresh Fruit Tart is a delightful treat perfect for any occasion. Whether you're hosting a special brunch, a summer gathering, or simply craving a sweet indulgence, this tart will impress your taste buds and leave you wanting more. Its combination of textures and flavors makes it a culinary masterpiece that showcases the beauty of fresh, seasonal ingredients. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a delightful baking journey to create this exquisite Fresh Fruit Tart.
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