Mixed Berry Tart
The Nitty Gritty:
A tasty variation of a old favorite- Level: 2
- Prep Time: 1 hour (includes 40 min baking time)
- Yields: Enough for a crowd
- Tags: dessert
Now that summer is underway, we are treated with a wonderful variety of fresh berries for picking. One of my favorite things to make with them is a mixed fruit tart. This is actually a light dish with delicious layers of pastry cream and fresh ripe berries of the season, and looks so beautifully decorated that you might not want to eat it — but then you’d miss out on the out-of-this-world taste!
I’m a huge fan of fruit tarts, and so are many of my clients, but this is a nice variation on an old standby that will provide a little zing and — oh, yes — some buttery, rich puff pastry to the mix.
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. Cognac or brandy
- 2 pints berries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries recommended
- Whisk the pastry cream over medium heat
- Cover with plastic wrap lightly pressed onto the pastry cream's surface, then cool
- Lay the strips along the edges of the tart base
- The puff pastry should be deep golden brown when baked
Instructions:
First, make the pastry cream:
This recipe is derived from one Ina Garten published in her collection, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I have made slight variations on the process to make cooking and cleaning a little easier.
Heat milk in a saucepan until is reaches a low boil. At the same time, combine 6 egg yolks, the sugar, and the cornstarch in a bowl and whisk to blend.
When the milk is hot, pour a small portion into the egg mixture to temper the eggs -- to heat them enough to prevent them from cooking. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk, whisk, and follow with another 1/2 cup. Then, add the egg/sugar/milk mixture back to the saucepan and whisk over medium heat, until the mixture begins to boil. (Do not cook the mixture on a high heat as this will cause the mixture to burn; medium heat will work just fine.)
Continue whisking for 2-3 more minutes after the mixture boils. The pastry cream will thicken.)
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and cognac or brandy. Set aside and cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on the surface of the cream so it does not develop a skin. Let cool to room temperature.
For the puff pastry:
If you prefer to make 1 large tart, cut 7x9 inch rectangle, 2 7x1” strips, and 2 9x1” strips. For individual tarts, cut 4x4 squares and 4 4x1” strips for each tart.
Make an egg wash from 1 egg and 1 tsp. water, lightly beaten. Working with the dough while it is still cold, brush the egg wash on the border of the base (either the larger rectangle or the smaller square).
Lay the horizontal pieces (top and bottom) flat on the large crust and lightly press them into the base. You don’t want to press too hard, as you might inadvertently warm the dough and crush some of your layers in the process. Repeat for the vertical sides (left and right) and lightly brush egg wash over the ends of the horizontal pieces. Again, lightly press to seal.
Place on a cookie sheet and surround with 4 ramekins placed on each side of the tart to hold it in place as it bakes.
Bake at 400?F until the layers have risen and the crust is brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
To assemble:
Lightly press down the center of the puff pastry tart, which will have risen during cooking, to create a well for the pastry cream. Pour cream into center of the base and spread evenly, leaving a half inch of puff pastry rim to hold the berries. Top tart with a mixture of the berries, either in a design of your choice, or piled high. Top with powdered sugar and serve.
Comments
By Julia Swenson
Julia B. Swenson is outsourcing her culinary talents from Santa Monica, Calif., where she is the owner and catering chef of Julia’s Kitchen, a catering company serving Los Angeles and Orange Counties. When not working, she enjoys making delectable treats for family and friends. Trained at the Le Cordon Bleu school in Pasadena, she believes whole-heartedly in the motto: Make every meal good to the last bite!
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is published the first Friday of each month, edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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SweetPea
June 27 10:12 p.m. 1Amazing! I came across this recipe this morning and made it this afternoon. I was a little intimidated at first having never tried making pastry cream, and having never worked with puff pastry. Everything was SO easy! I used fresh strawberries from the farmer's market, and omitted the brandy. Thank you for an amazingly simple recipe, that looks absolutely company-worthy!