FRESH FRUIT TART & TIPS FOR THE PERFECT PÂTE SUCRÉE
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This stunning fruit tart is the perfect way to end a summer meal.
Author:
Recipe type: Sweet, Desserts, Tarts & Pies, Basic Recipes
Cuisine: French
Serves: 8 people
Ingredients
  • SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY - PÂTE SUCRÉE
  • 250 gr flour
  • 150 gr butter, at room temp
  • 75 gr powdered sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt
  • .
  • VANILLA CREME PAT
  • 450 ml milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 75 gr granulated sugar
  • 40 gr corn starch
  • 30 gr butter
  • .
  • Fresh seasonal fruit
Instructions
  1. To prepare the pastry beat soft butter with powdered sugar in your stand mixer until pale and fluffy.
  2. Add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and continue beating for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add the flour and mix on the lowest speed just until the flour disappears.
  4. Toss it all on a piece of plastic wrap and bring it together. Form a disk with the help of the plastic as it will be too soft to handle. Remember NO KNEADING! Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. To make the creme patisserie bring milk to boiling point with the empty vanilla bean.
  6. Whisk egg yolks with sugar and the vanilla seeds using an electric whisk for a few minutes until pale. Then add the corn starch and mix well.
  7. Pour the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
  8. Pour it all back into the sauce pan. Cook over medium low heat until it thickens for about 5-6 minutes, stirring all the time.
  9. Remove from the heat and mix in butter, beat until smooth and completely blended.
  10. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming, making sure that the plastic is in contact with the cream.
  11. When it comes to room temp, refrigerate.
  12. Butter and flour the sides of the tart tin and place a piece of parchment on the bottom.
  13. Roll the chilled dough between two pieces of parchment paper to a thickness of an ⅛ of an inch (3-4 mm) Gently place on the prepared tart tin and remove excess. Rest in the fridge for about 45 minutes or in the freezer for 20.
  14. Preheat oven to 170 C (340 F).
  15. Prick the base of the crust with a fork and line with parchment. Fill with baking beans and blind bake for 25 minutes. Remove the beans and the paper and bake for a further 15 minutes until golden and fully cooked.
  16. Let cool in the tin.
  17. Beat the cold creme pat with an electric whisk for 15-20 seconds to make it smooth and spreadable.
  18. Fill the tart crust with the cream and smooth with a rubber spatula.
  19. Top with the fruit of your choice and chill for a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
Don't assemble the tart before the crust is fully cooled and the cream well chilled.

One of the most important things for me when making Vanilla Creme Patissiere is to never add the vanilla seeds to the milk. While heating a skin forms over the milk and the seeds get trapped under, when we remove this skin we end up losing most of those precious seeds too. To avoid this always add the seeds to the eggs and the empty pod to the milk.

The crust and the creme pat can be prepared a few days ahead but bake the crust on the day you want to serve it. I wouldn't assemble the tart too early either, a few hours is plenty. If you have no choice but prepare it a day ahead you should brush the fruit with unflavoured gelatine so they don't dry out and keep their vibrant colour.

If you are using a big or unusually shaped tin you might have some difficulty lining it with the pastry. In this case I usually roll a piece of the dough to fit the bottom then cut narrow strips for the sides. If it gets too soft just chill a little before you carry on.
Recipe by HatiBon English at https://www.hatibon.com/blog/2016/08/fresh-fruit-tart-tips-for-the-perfect-pate-sucree/