attosa Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
August 14, 2018
Many of my family members live in France. One thing I look forward to having every time I visit is the classic French fruit tart. It's got a delicate crust topped with a custardy pastry cream (crème pâtissière), with fruit arranged beautifully on top to resemble a blooming flower. I finally learned how to make it myself so I don't have to long for it between visits. It's worth the effort, and I hope you give it a try!
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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3 1/2 oz cold butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp lemon zest
18 oz fresh strawberries
Steps:
Whisk together 2 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
Chop the cold butter into little cubes and add to flour mixture.
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Use two forks to crumble into the texture of coarse cornmeal. You can also pulse it a food processor.
Add 1/3 cup sugar and egg. Bring the dough together into a ball. Don't overwork it.
Flatten the dough a bit, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
While the dough is in the fridge, work on the pastry cream. In a bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1 tsp.lemon zest.
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Add 1/2 cup flour and a couple Tbsp. of the milk, beat until combined.
Place the rest of the milk and other tsp. of lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until the milk comes to a simmer.
While whisking, pour the milk into the egg flour mixture.
Return entire mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens like pudding. Remove from heat to cool. Press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled.
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To finish the tart crust, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove dough from fridge and press into the bottom of your tart pan, getting up the sides.
Use a fork to prick holes into the bottom crust, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden.
Transfer to a rack to cool before filling.
Hull the strawberries and slice them about 1/4 inch thick. Leave one strawberry whole.
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Remove the pastry cream from the fridge, whisk until smooth, then spread onto the crust. Place strawberries around the tart, starting from the outside and working your way in, overlapping them.
When you make it all the way in, pop the whole strawberry in the center. What a beautiful bloom!
suz1230 Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks
August 14, 20181 found this helpful
Attosa, that is one beautiful Blooming French Strawberry Tart-*Masterpiece*!
As soon as I pick up some strawberries, which is going to have to be soon, I've got to make this :)
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I'm sitting here just drooling over this, it looks so good.
Now here's something funny about my cooking. I've never made tarts of all things, and have made lots of other pastries and goodies, but, I just haven't done this yet, and this will be my first tart.
attosa Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
August 15, 20180 found this helpful
Hahaha what is fantastic about us is our ever growing list of "first times" we get from each other. PLEASE please please try this. It's so lovely, and kinda neat to have something so French without being over there! :)
suz1230 Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks
August 15, 20180 found this helpful
Oh yes, I sure will make this pretty soon, (I have to or I won't be right) hahaha - because after seeing it, I can't get it out of my mind, I mean it's hit the point it's now calling my name out loud, hahaha
And it sure is fantastic that we both have our "first times" list, heheheh I love it!~ :) Thank you Attosa!