Servings: 6-8
Instructions:
For the Crust:
Pulse flour and sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the blade spinning, add egg yolk, then the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Flatten ball slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
On a lightly floured work surface using a floured rolling pin, roll pastry from the center out to form a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Wrap pastry around a rolling pin and ease into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim overhang to 1 inch higher than the pan edge, roll under to form edge, and press into rim of pan. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Set in the freezer for 20 minutes.
For the Pastry Cream:
In a medium-size saucepan over high heat, bring milk and 1/4 cup of the sugar to a boil. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, combine egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 sugar and flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk boiling milk into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan, set over moderate heat, and whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Strain through a sieve into a medium-size bowl. Smooth plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Cover crust loosely with foil and weight with dried beans or baking weights. Bake until crust begins to brown—20 to 25 minutes; remove foil and beans and continue baking until crust is golden. Cool on a rack.
Spread cooled crust with pastry cream. Arrange fresh fruit over pastry cream.
For the Glaze:
In a small saucepan over moderately high heat, combine strawberry jelly and water and bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Cool slightly and brush over fruit. Serve tart cold or at room temperature, and store any leftovers in refrigerator.
*Note: Any other fresh summer fruits may be substituted for the above fresh fruits to make this summer tart.
Makes 6 servings.
Date: May 13, 2004