Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (180g) All-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100g) Granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon Fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) Unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
  • 1 Large egg yolk
  • 1–2 tablespoons Ice water
  • 2 cups (475ml) Whole milk
  • 1 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise
  • 5 Large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (100g) Granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (30g) Cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter, small pieces
  • 4–5 cups Fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, etc.)
  • ¼ cup Apricot jam
  • 1 tablespoon Water

Instructions:

  1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
  2. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand or small peas.
  3. Add the egg yolk and pulse until just combined. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Form into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour.
  4. Roll the chilled dough out to an 11-inch circle. Carefully press into the 9-inch tart pan, trim edges, and prick the bottom lightly. Chill again for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled shell with parchment paper and fill completely with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes (blind bake). Remove weights and paper.
  6. Return the shell to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the bottom is pale golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Heat the milk and vanilla bean (seeds scraped in) in a saucepan until simmering. Remove from heat.
  8. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch vigorously until pale and thick.
  9. Temper the yolks by slowly pouring half of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
  10. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the cream thickens significantly. Continue whisking for 1 full minute after thickening to cook out the starch flavour.
  11. Remove from heat, stir in the cold butter pieces until smooth. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow dish. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour until fully cold.
  12. Once cooled, whisk the pastry cream briefly to loosen it. Spread evenly into the cooled tart shell.
  13. Arrange the prepared fresh fruit artfully over the cream surface.
  14. Make the glaze by gently heating the apricot jam with 1 tablespoon of water until melted and smooth. Brush lightly over all the fruit.
  15. Chill the finished tart for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.