This dish is a combination of simple, beloved components; classic pastry cream, a simple crust and fresh fruit! While there’s nothing new about the ingredients, this dessert is simply out of this world and tastes like nothing you’ve ever had before.
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
Crust (makes 2 dough balls):
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Pastry Cream:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3-3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Fruit Topping:
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup red currants
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
- To make the pastry cream, in a small saucepan, heat the milk and scraped out vanilla bean over medium-high heat, until just scalded. (Temperature reached should be just below the boiling point.)
- Combine eggs yolks and sugar in a small bowl and beat together. Slowly stir in the flour, then add 1/4 hot milk mixture in order to temper eggs and raise their temperature without curdling or scrambling them.
- Pour egg mixture into remaining hot milk and return to heat, stirring constantly.
- Bring mixture just to a boil, then remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap. Note: make sure to place plastic wrap directly on the surface to avoid a film from forming.
- Refrigerate until completely chilled.
- For the crust: pulse flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor until combined. Then add cold butter and pulse until butter breaks down into pea-sized crumbs.
- Slowly drizzle in ice water with the food processor running until dough begins to come together. Then add in 2 eggs. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Set up 2, large pieces of plastic wrap and turn dough out. Divide in half, roll each half into a ball, then flatten each into a disc.
- Tightly wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Remove 1 dough disc from fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Carefully transfer to a lightly greased, 9-inch, tart tin/springform pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim off excess overhang.
- Prick the bottom all over with a fork, cover with aluminum foil and place beans (or other form of weight) on top of the foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 15-20, or until golden.
- Remove and let cool completely.
- Combine berries in a large bowl and muddle slightly. Mix together so juices combine and set aside.
- Once crust is completely cool, spoon pastry cream evenly along the inside of pie shell and top with mixed berries.
- Garnish with a liberal dusting of powdered sugar and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Recipe from 12 tomatoes
