PASTRY CREAM¹

Cup of Yum
1. Combine milk, cream, ¼ cup (50g) sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 10 minutes.
2. In a separate medium-sized bowl vigorously whisk together egg yolks and remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar for about 15 seconds. Sprinkle cornstarch over the mixture and whisk again until slightly thickened (about 30 seconds).
3. Measure about ⅓ cup of (slightly cooled) cream mixture and slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture while constantly whisking. This is to temper your eggs and keep them from cooking! While still whisking, gradually drizzle in the remainder of your cream mixture until completely combined.
4. Pour mixture back into saucepan and return to the stovetop over medium heat. Whisk frequently until thickened almost to a pudding-like consistency (mixture may simmer, this will take several minutes) and immediately remove from heat.
5. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. Add butter, one piece at a time, whisking after each addition until completely combined. Whisk in vanilla extract.
6. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, then cover by placing a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours. While this is chilling, prepare the tart crust, as it will need to chill for a total of 90 minutes.

Tart Crust

1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the basin of a food processor².
2. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about 10 pulses).
3. In a small dish, whisk together egg and vanilla extract and drizzle over flour mixture. Pulse again until dough just begins to cling together and holds together when pressed with your thumb and forefinger (see image in post or video), about 15 one-second pulses.
4. Form dough into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour.
5. Roll chilled dough into a 10-11” disc and form into a 9” tart pan. Prick multiple times with a fork and then take a large piece of parchment paper and carefully form it into your tart crust (if your crust is being damaged as you try to do this, just chill your dough and then fit with the parchment paper). Fill parchment paper with pie weights or dry beans, and make sure you are using enough parchment that you can easily lift it and the weights from the tart. See video for visual if needed. Transfer to freezer for 30 minutes to prevent shrinking. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F (190C).
6. Once dough has chilled and oven is preheated, transfer to 375F/190C oven (I’ve found it can be tricky moving a tart pan with a removable bottom and sometimes like to bake mine on a cookie sheet to easily remove it from the oven) and bake for 20 minutes or edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown. Carefully remove parchment paper and pie weights and bake another 5 minutes until light golden brown all over. Allow to cool before assembling.

ASSEMBLY

1. Once tart crust has cooled, spread or brush (with a pastry brush) a thin layer of chocolate over the bottom and up the sides of the tart crust. Place this in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes for the chocolate to harden.
2. Once chocolate is hardened, remove from fridge and evenly spread chilled pastry cream in the shell. Arrange fruit over the cream as desired.
3. If desired, melt together apple jelly and water for 10-20 seconds and stir well. Use a pastry brush to brush or dab jelly over the surface of the fruit for a glaze. Serve.