Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream

Close-up of a strawberry tart with creamy pastry filling. The tart is beautifully decorated with fresh strawberries.

This strawberry tart comes together easily. You blind-bake a pastry shell, then you fill it with pastry cream and top it with strawberries

This strawberry tart recipe is for a 26 cm (10 inch) tart pan

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 15

Calories 203

Author Elena Tomasi

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups+1 tablespoon (250 g) all-purpose flour
3.35 oz. (95 g) butter cold, cut into small cubes
¾ teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
a pinch of salt
⅓ cup+1 tablespoon (85 g) granulated sugar
1 egg at room temperature

Lemon pastry cream:

2 egg yolks
⅔ cup minus 1 tablespoon (120 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
½ cup (60 g) flour
2 cups+1 tablespoon (500 ml) milk
1 lemon zest cut into large pieces

To Decorate:

17.6 oz. (500 g) fresh strawberries
Optional: chopped pistachios

Instructions

Put the flour, butter, salt and baking powder in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is the texture of coarse cornmeal.
Transfer it to a large bowl, add the sugar and egg and bring the dough together into a ball, without overworking it.
Flatten the ball slightly, wrap it tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, prepare the lemon pastry cream.
In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and grated lemon.
Add the flour, a couple of tablespoons of milk taken from the total amount and continue beating until well combined.
Place the remaining milk and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until the milk just comes to a simmer.
Remove from heat and discard the lemon zest.
While whisking, slowly add the milk to the egg mixture and return the mixture to the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream has reached the desired density.
To prevent a skin from forming, press a sheet of cling film directly onto the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until chilled.
Finish the tart crust.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) thick.
Place it in a 10 inch (26 cm) tart pan and carefully press the dough along the bottom and sides of the pan. With a rolling pin or with your fingers, press along the edge of the pan to remove the excess dough.
Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pastry shell.
Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
Hull the strawberries and slice them ¼ inch (½ cm) thick.
Remove the pastry cream from the fridge, whisk until smooth and spread an even layer in the crust.
Starting from the outside and working your way to the center of the tart, place the strawberries, in an overlapping circular pattern.
Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top.
Serve the strawberry tart immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Enjoy!

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