Fresh Fruit Tart

Categories: Desserts

Ingredients

• PASTRY CREAM
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and reserved
• 5 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
• CLASSIC TART DOUGH
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup (2 ⅔ ounces) confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
• FRUIT
• 2 large kiwis, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 3⁄8 inch thick
• 2 cups (10 ounces) raspberries
• 1 cup (5 ounces) blueberries
• 1/2 cup red currant or apple jelly

Directions

1. FOR THE TART DOUGH: Whisk the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Process the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses.

2. With the machine running, add the egg mixture through the feed tube and continue to process until the dough just comes together around the processor blade, about 12 seconds.

3. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 6-inch disk. Wrap the dough tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling the dough out, let it sit on the counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes.

4. FOR THE PASTRY CREAM: Bring the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, salt, vanilla bean, and vanilla seeds to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

5. As the half-and-half mixture begins to simmer, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar together in a medium bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk about 1 cup of the simmering half-and-half mixture into the yolks to temper, then slowly whisk the tempered yolks back into the simmering saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking vigorously, until the mixture is thickened and a few bubbles burst on the surface, about 30 seconds.

6. Off the heat, remove the vanilla bean and stir in the butter. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate the pastry cream until chilled and firm, about 3 hours.

7. FOR THE TART SHELL AND FRUIT: Roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured counter and, following the photos, fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Set the tart pan on a large plate and freeze the tart shell for 30 minutes.

8. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Set the tart pan on a large baking sheet. Press a double layer of foil into the frozen tart shell and over the edges of the pan and fill with pie weights. Bake until the tart shell is golden brown and set, about 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

9. Carefully remove the weights and foil and continue to bake the tart shell until it is fully baked and golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the tart shell cool completely on the baking sheet, about 1 hour.

10. Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Shingle the kiwi slices around the edge of the tart, then arrange three rows of raspberries inside the kiwi. Finally, arrange a mound of blueberries in the center.

11. Melt the jelly in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to smooth out any lumps. Using a pastry brush, dab the melted jelly over the fruit. To serve, remove the outer metal ring of the tart pan, slide a thin metal spatula between the tart and the tart pan bottom, and carefully slide the tart onto a serving platter or cutting board.

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