Strawberry Tarts

By ctaubenheim

Ingredients

• PASTRY CREAM:
• 1/1 /4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 2 Tbsp cold shortening (recommend Crisco)
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 2 cups pastry cream, recipe follows
• 1/3 cup apricot jelly
• 3 tbsp shelled pistachios, halved, optional
• 5 extra large egg yolks, room temp
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups scalded milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cognac
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream

Details

Preparation time 35mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the flour,s ugar,a nd salt in a small bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutres. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse aabout 10 minutes, or until the buter is in the size of peas. Add the ice water and process until thed ough comes together. Dump on a well floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Roll out the dough and fit into 4 (4 1/2 inch) tart pans with removable sices. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in te pans or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of each pan. Line the tart shells with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill them with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil, prick the bottom of thes hells all over with a fork, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Before serving, fill the tart shells with the pastry cream. Arrange the berries decoratively on top of the cream. Melt the apricot jelly with 1 tsp of water and brush the top of the tarts. Sprinkle with pistachios, if using, and serve.

PASTRY CREAM: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minuttes. Don't be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appearsr to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes; the custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding. Stir in the vanilla, Cognac, butter, and heavy cream. Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold. Yield 2 cups.