TARTS - FRENCH FRUIT TART WITH STRAWBERRIES

PÂTE BRISÉE – CLASSIC TART PASTRY

Makes 11-inch tart shell

1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup firm unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening

4 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed

 

Add the butter and vegetable shortening.  Toss the mixture with your hands to coat the fats with flour.  Then rub the flour-coated fats between your fingertips to form flat, flake like crumbs.

As the pieces become smaller, with floured hands, take a handful of crumbs and gently let them roll from between your hands into the bowl, while moving your hands in one direction.  Do not move them back and forth or you will mash the flakes.  The tips of your fingers should always point down into the bowl.  Each time the crumbs fall from your hands, pick up another handful.  After 6 to 8 times, alternate the rubbing movement with the rolling movement.  Continue until the flour-coated fats are the size of coarse meal with some larger pea-size pieces.  The crumb mixture will change color from off-white to pale yellowish. 

Add 3 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoons at a time, drizzling it around the rim of the bowl.  Using a kitchen fork, push the mixture toward the center with each addition.  Do this around the entire bowl.  As more water is added, clumps of dough will form. They will become larger with each addition.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon water, a teaspoon at a time.  Feel the dough with your hand; it should feel cool and slightly moist.

To determine if the mixture has enough water, gather some in your hand and press it against the side of the bowl to see if it will hold together.  If not, add more water sparingly, about 1 teaspoon at a time, adding only enough for it to form a mass.  Too much liquid and/or overworking the dough will toughen it.

With floured hands, press the dough against the side of the bowl to form a ball.  All of the crumbs should adhere to the ball and clean the bowl.  If not, add a few drops of water.  Flatten the ball into a 5-inch disk.  Dust with flour and score with the side of your hand to relax the gluten.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Chill 30 minutes or longer before using.

STORAGE: The dough will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.  To thaw, remove from the freezer to the refrigerator.  Thaw overnight or at least 12 hours.

MY NOTE:  I use only butter and do not use shortening. 

PASTRY CREAM

Makes enough cream for an 11-inch tart shell

2 ½ cups milk

½ cup sugar

3-inch piece vanilla bean or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

5 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons unsifted all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

GARNISH:

1 pint strawberries, preferably uniform, medium berries

6 to 8 shelled pistachio nuts, skinned and coarsely choped (optional)

GLAZE:

1/3 cup apricot preserves

2 teaspoons water

MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM:  Place the milk and ¼ cup of the sugar in a large nonreactive saucepan.  Stir to combine.  Split the vanilla bean in half length-wise and add it to the milk.  Cook over low heat without stirring until the milk forms a skin on the surface.

Whisk the egg yolks well in a large bowl.  Gradually whisk in the remaining ¼ cup sugar beating until the mixture is slightly thickened.

Remove the vanilla bean from the milk.  With a paring knife, scrape the seeds from the pod.  Whisk the seeds into the yolks, reserving the pod.  Sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt together, and stir into the yolks.  Whisk until smooth.

Stir 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolks to temper them.  Then pour the yolk mixture into the remaining milk, stirring well.  Add the vanilla pod.  Over low heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk.  After it comes to the boil, continue to simmer the pastry cream for at least 1 minute. 

Remove the pastry cream from the heat.  Discard the vanilla bean.  Dot the top with butter. 

NOTE:  If using vanilla extract, add it now.  Stir briefly to blend in the butter.

Empty the pastry cream into a medium bowl.  Tear a square of plastic wrap, and butter a circle in the center, about the same size as the top of the pastry cream bowl.  Lay the plastic wrap, buttered side down, against the pastry cream.  This will prevent a skin from forming on the surface.  Let cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Spoon the pastry cream into the pastry shell.  Smooth the surface with a small offset spatula.  Press a square of buttered plastic wrap against the top of the pastry cream.  Refrigerate until ready to garnish with strawberries. 

COMPLETE THE TART:  Wash, thoroughly dry, and hull the strawberries.  Cut the berries in half lengthwise, and lay them out on a pan in a single layer to prevent bruising. 

Arrange the strawberries in concentric circles on top of the pastry cream.  Choose the larger berries for the outer circle, and place them with the widest side against the edge of the pan.  Refrigerate.

MAKE THE GLAZE:  Combine the apricot preserves with the water in an ovenproof glass container.  Heat in a microwave oven on medium power for 30 seconds.  Alternatively, cook in a small saucepan over direct heat until bublly.  Pass through a strainer.  Gently brush the warm preserves on the strawberries.  Garnish the center with pistachios.  Serve at once.  This tart is best eaten the day it is made. 

From Great Pies & Tarts by Carole Walter.