Tarte aux Fraises classique (Print)
Pâte sablée, crème pâtissière et fraises fraîches nappées pour un dessert printanier et convivial.
# What You Need:
→ For the sweet pastry crust
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 pinch salt
→ For the pastry cream
06 - 2 cups whole milk
07 - 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 4 large egg yolks
10 - 5 tablespoons cornstarch
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ For the garnish
12 - 1 pound fresh strawberries
13 - 2 tablespoons apricot jam
14 - 1 tablespoon water
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and powdered sugar. Add diced cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg and work just until a homogeneous dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the chilled dough and line a 10-inch tart pan. Prick the base with a fork. Cover with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights and paper, then continue baking for 10 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
03 - Heat the milk with vanilla bean (split and scraped) or vanilla extract until just simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale, then add cornstarch and mix until smooth. Gradually whisk in a little hot milk to temper, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in butter until smooth, and cover directly with plastic wrap. Allow to cool completely.
04 - Wash, hull, and slice the fresh strawberries as desired.
05 - Spread the cooled pastry cream in an even layer over the cooled tart shell. Arrange strawberry slices decoratively over the cream.
06 - Gently heat apricot jam with water until liquid. Brush the warm glaze evenly over the strawberries for a glossy finish.
07 - Chill the tart for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The smooth pastry cream and juicy strawberries combine for a dessert that feels both delicate and luxuriously fresh.
- Perfect for impressing friends on a picnic or for treating yourself with a slice of French indulgence at home.
02 -
- I once let the pastry cream stay on the heat too long and ended up with a lumpy mess – keep stirring and don’t walk away.
- Brushing the jam glaze on while the strawberries are cold prevents the fruit from becoming mushy in the fridge.
03 -
- Always strain the pastry cream if you spot a few lumps – nobody has to know.
- Use different berries in the off-season for a twist, but nothing beats local strawberries when they’re in season.