Berry Tart (the miracle)

 This is my miracle tart.  I had made my crust and pastry cream and was bringing in my berries to wash and dry to top it all.  I was so proud of how glorious it was all turning out.  And a tart is a fairly time consuming thing.  Easy, but many steps to get the end result.  My sweet little girl wanted to see the most beautiful tart and opened the over full fridge to take a peek.  That is when I heard the crashing of a pan to the floor and the tears started to fall (not really, but need to add some drama here).  I looked at the floor and saw no tart.  Where could it be?  It was in perfect form, upside down on the door of the fridge.  So, yelling for my husband to help, I lifted it (it broke in my hands) and placed it back in the pan.  I lost some pastry cream (which is a glorified vanilla pudding; so wonderful) and my husband lovingly cleaned that up, with his fingers and mouth.     
So there is a the tale of the miracle berry tart.  Which, by the way, was outstanding and we enjoyed every single morsel of.  Even that which was on the refrigerator door.


This recipe is from Dorie Greenspan.


SWEET TART DOUGH

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (9 tablespoons) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor pulse flour, sugar and salt a few times.  Add butter a little at a time and pulse for a few seconds after each addition.  Once all added, pulse until coarse crumb.  Add egg yolk and pulse in 10 second increments until dough forms.  Pour out onto clean surface and incorporate any loose dry ingredients with a light kneading.  Butter tart pan and press dough into pan.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes (longer the better).  Preheat oven to 375.  Butter shiny side of foil and press into crust.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Carefully remove the foil. If the crust is puffy, use the back of a spoon to gently press it down.  Bake for another 8 minutes or so, until the crust is golden brown.  Transfer the crust to a wire rack (still in the pan), and let it cool to room temperature before filling. (Freeze uncooked crust for up to 2 months, wrapped of course)

SWEET PASTRY CREAM

The pillage.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 tablespoons high-quality unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temperature

Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks with the sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Still whisking, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk to temper the yolks so they won’t curdle.  Whisking the entire time, slowly pour in the remainder of the milk.
Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly (to the edges of the pot), bring the mixture to a boil.  Keep it at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.  (It will get thick quick!)  Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk in the butter until the bits are fully incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth.
Scrape the cream into a bowl, and place the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water. Stir the pastry cream occasionally until it is completely chilled, about 20 minutes.  Pour into prepared tart shell.  Lick the bowl.  :-)

BERRIES

Wash about 2 cups of berries (or any fruit really, peaches would be wonderful.)  and place on paper towel to dry well.  Pour over tart.  Take about 3 TBSP. of apricot jelly and microwave for 30 seconds.  Add a little water to thin (maybe 1 tsp.) and drizzle over berries to add nice shine and more deliciousness.
Eat, saying "MMM" after each bite for effect.