Tarte aux Fraises (Print Version)
Pâte sablée croustillante, crème pâtissière onctueuse et fraises fraîches nappées.
# What You Need:
→ For the shortcrust pastry
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
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 vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 4 egg yolks
10 - 1/3 cup cornstarch
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ For the topping
12 - 1 pound fresh strawberries
13 - 2 tablespoons apricot jam
14 - 1 tablespoon water
# Directions:
01 - Combine flour, salt, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter using fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and blend just until the dough comes together. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out the chilled dough and line a 9-10 inch tart pan. Prick the base with a fork, cover with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool completely.
03 - Heat milk with vanilla (split and scraped if using a bean) until just simmering. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar, then blend in cornstarch. Gradually add some hot milk to temper, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and cool completely.
04 - Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries as desired.
05 - Spread the cooled pastry cream evenly in the cooled tart shell. Arrange the strawberries neatly over the cream.
06 - Gently heat apricot jam with water until melted. Brush over the strawberries for a glossy finish.
07 - Refrigerate the assembled tart for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of silky vanilla pastry cream and juicy fresh strawberries tastes like bakery magic—without leaving home.
- It looks impressive on the table but is surprisingly simple once you get the hang of each step.
02 -
- If you skip chilling the dough before rolling, it will stick, stretch, and shrink in the oven—patience counts here.
- Letting the crème pâtissière fully cool before assembling saves the crust from sogginess and keeps the filling lush, not runny.
03 -
- Don’t rush the cooling steps—even slightly warm pastry cream will make your crust soggy, and patience pays off.
- A dust of finely grated lemon zest on the pastry cream before the berries brightens everything up beautifully.