Fresh Fruit Tart

Fresh Fruit Tart
One thing I love about spring is the arrival of fresh berries in the produce department. My daughter's request for her birthday cake was a fruit tart. Being fairly new to rural Oklahoma, I hadn't scoped out a good bakery yet - partly because I like to bake so there wasn't a need to find one. The search was on and, when I found one that makes tarts and decadent cakes, I learned that they required a two-week notice for orders. Two weeks (not to mention it was 30 miles away)? I guess I've been spoiled by living close to amazing bakeries where one can pick a cake from the display case or, at the most, order 24 hours in advance . It was the day before the birthday so I hunted online for a good tart recipe. Following is the recipe I used. I had the tart shell and custard prepared before my daughter came home from school, and she arranged the fruit on her own small tart. Also, I don't have a large tart pan but several small ones as well as a pie plate. The recipe made enough for all in the picture. We all agreed it was a success . . . and no guilt.

Ingredients

Pastry

•     ¼ lb butter, cold, chopped into pieces
•     1 ½ cups flour
•         2 tablespoons sugar
•     3 egg yolks

Custard

•     2 egg yolks
•     ¼ cup sugar
•     ¼ cup flour
•     1 cup milk ( full fat)
•     2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

•     ¾ cup apricot jam
•    various fresh fruit ( or tinned)

Directions

1.    To make pastry: Using fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in sugar and egg yolks; press mixture together to form a ball and refrigerate in plastic wrap for 30 minutes; preheat oven to 375°F.

2.    Roll pastry between two sheets of wax paper, making the pastry large enough to cover base and sides of a buttered 9-inch fluted tart pan; trim edges; place sheet of foil into pastry and fill with pie weights or dried beans; bake 20-25 minutes; remove foil and beans and bake a further 5 minutes; allow to cool.

3.    To make custard: In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and flour until thick and pale; heat milk in saucepan until almost boiling; remove from heat. Slowly dribble in hot milk into egg mixture, whisking continuously, until all of milk has been added. Return custard to pot and cook, over medium-low heat, until custard has thickened and coats the back of a spoon (5-7 minutes). Place piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard (this prevents a 'skin' from forming) and allow to cool completely.

4.      To assemble: Spoon custard into baked pie shell and smooth. Place pieces of fruit attractively over tart. Heat apricot jam until it is quite liquid and brush this generously over the fresh fruit to set and seal the tart. Allow to cool completely. 

5.    Serve the same day of making. Refrigerate any leftovers.