Description
Ina Garten’s classic French fruit tart combines a buttery shortbread crust with silky pastry cream and fresh seasonal berries. Elegant simplicity shines through this delightful dessert, inviting you to savor each delicate bite of pure culinary artistry.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups (156 grams) flour
- 3 extra-large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) milk
- 6 tablespoons (75 grams) sugar
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter
- Assorted fruits of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, figs, etc)
Secondary Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons (37.5 grams) sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons (12 grams) cornstarch
- 3–4 tablespoons (45–60 milliliters) ice water
- ½ cup (160 grams) apricot jelly (optional)
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon cognac, brandy, or vanilla
Instructions
- Prepare the dry foundation by combining all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a spacious mixing bowl, creating the fundamental base for your pastry crust.
- Integrate cold, cubed unsalted butter into the flour mixture, methodically working it with fingertips until the texture resembles fine, delicate breadcrumbs.
- Gradually introduce ice-cold water to the crumbly mixture, gently stirring until the ingredients cohesively bind into a smooth, pliable dough.
- Transform the dough into a flattened disc, encase it completely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes, allowing it to become sufficiently firm for precise rolling.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). After the dough rests momentarily at room temperature, roll it out to perfectly fit a 10-inch (25.4 centimeters) tart pan, trimming any excess edges.
- Line the tart pan with the rolled dough, cover with aluminum foil, and stabilize with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the weights and foil, puncture the crust with a fork, and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until achieving a golden-brown hue.
- Craft the custard by vigorously whisking egg yolks and sugar until the mixture transforms to a pale yellow color. Incorporate cornstarch, then slowly introduce warm milk, cooking over medium heat while continuously stirring until the mixture thickens to a smooth, luxurious consistency.
- Allow both the crust and custard to cool completely. Spread the custard evenly across the baked crust, artfully arrange fresh fruit on top, and optionally create a glistening finish by warming apricot jelly with a small amount of water, then delicately brushing it over the fruit.
Notes
- Master the art of precision with each delicate step of tart creation.
- Chill dough thoroughly to guarantee a melt-in-your-mouth, flaky crust experience.
- Incorporate ice-cold butter for those irresistible layers that define pastry perfection.
- Use ceramic weights or dried beans to keep the crust’s shape during blind baking.
- Whisk egg yolks until they transform into a luxuriously light, creamy custard base.
- Allow the tart to cool completely, letting flavors harmonize and custard set beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 293 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 116 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 94 mg