The amazing, classic Tarte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Tart) combines tender shortcrust pastry with rich crème pâtissière and the freshest strawberries. All together it makes for a wholly impressive dessert that everyone will ooh-and-ah over (between mouthfuls, of course)!
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Instructions
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (pate sucree)
Make the single shortcrust pastry recipe as directed and blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake an additional 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely before assembling the tart.
Pastry Cream (creme patissiere)
Bring a medium saucepan with the 1 cup milk and ½ teaspoon of vanilla paste (or vanilla bean caviar, or pure vanilla extract) to medium heat. Stir occasionally and heat until the first bubbles appear.
While the milk is heating: In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg, egg yolk, and 3 tablespoons sugar together until light in color and frothy in appearance. Add the 2 tablespoons flour and 1 ½ tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
Once the milk is heated: Temper the egg mixture by adding a ladle-full amount (approximately ¼ cup) of the heated milk, whisking vigorously. Repeat once, then whisk in the remaining heated milk and vanilla.
Transfer the combined mixture back into your saucepan and return to medium-low heat, whisking occasionally. As soon as your pastry cream thickens, remove it from heat and whisk vigorously until you have a smooth creamy texture.
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl and cover with cling film, allowing the plastic wrap to settle onto the surface. Press down on the plastic wrap to adhere it to the entire surface of the pastry cream. This will prevent a 'skin' from forming on the creme. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
Assemble the Tart with the Fruit Topping
Place your baked tart shell onto a serving plate and fill it with your pastry cream, spreading the cream to the edges. *I usually make my apricot glaze and brush some onto the tart shell as well as the fruit, prior to filling the tart shell with creme.
Prepare your strawberries by cleaning, de-hulling, and slicing into halves. Arrange the fruit in a circular pattern working from the inside outward, fitting as many berries as you can into the tart.
Warm the apricot preserves (jam or jelly) in a microwave-safe dish in a short 15-second heating on high power. Strain the preserves through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks (if desired), then brush your strawberries with the glaze to give the berry topping a nice shiny appearance.
Chill the assembled tart for at least an hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
Timing wise, once my pastry is made and chilling in the refrigerator, I then make the pastry cream and allow it to cool. Bake the shortcrust pastry and allow to cool as well, then assemble the tart.