fresh fruit tart

Ingredients

For the Tart Crust:
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled

For the Pastry Cream:
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
3 tbsp. corn starch
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Simple Glaze:
1/2 cup apple jelly

Instructions

For the Tart Crust:
1. Whisk the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla together and set aside. Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses. With the machine, pour the egg mixture through the feed tube to combine and process until the dough just comes together around the processor blade, about 12 seconds. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into and 6-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out and fitting it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. *See below directions for fitting the dough into the pan. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet. Press a large square foil inside the frozen tart crust and up over the edges. Fill the crust with pie weights (this prevents the crust from bubbling). Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Carefully remove the weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the baking sheet with the tart crust to a wire rack and let cool.

*Fitting Dough into a Tart Pan
1. After rolling the dough out and wrapping it loosely around the rolling pin, unroll the dough over a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. Lifting the edges of the dough, gently ease the dough into the pan.
3. Press the dough into the fluted sides of the pan and into the corners, forming a small seam.
4. If parts of the edge are too thin, reinforce them by pressing in some of the dough that overhangs the tart.
5. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to remove any excess dough and make a clean edge.
6. The finished edge should be about 1/4 inch thick. If it is too thick, press some of the dough up over the edge of the pan and trim it away.

**The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 2 days.

For the Pastry Cream:
1. Bring the half-and-half, 6 tbsp. of sugar, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. As the half-and-half mixture begins to simmer, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 2 tbsp. sugar together until smooth.
3. Slowly whisk about 1 cup of simmering half-and-half mixture into the yolks to temper (you don't want scrambled eggs!). Then slowly whisk the tempered yolks back into the simmering half-and-half mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Whisking constantly, return the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened and a few bubbles burst on the surface, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap flush to the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.
4. Spread the cold pastry cream over the bottom of the baked, cooled tart crust. Arrange your selected berries on top of pastry cream.
5. Melt the jelly in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to smooth out any lumps. Using a pastry brush, dab and flick the melted jelly over the fruit. Add 1 tsp. of water and return the jelly to a boil if it becomes too thick to drizzle.

**The pastry cream can be refrigerated separately from the tart crust, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

* from America's Test Kitchen