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Decadent Vanilla Bean Tart with Silky Pastry Cream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 133 reviews

This decadent tart features a buttery, tender crust filled with silky, smooth vanilla bean pastry cream, topped with fresh berries and optional elegant garnishes for a luxurious dessert experience.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tart Crust:

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar, finely sifted
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp ice-cold water

For the Silky Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

Optional Garnishes:

  • Fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries)
  • A dusting of powdered sugar
  • Edible gold leaf or toasted almond slivers
  • Fresh mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Tart Crust: In a mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, powdered sugar, and sea salt. Add cold, diced butter and cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk the egg yolk with ice-cold water and gradually incorporate it into the mixture. Knead gently to form a dough, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Roll and Bake the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to fit your tart pan. Press the dough into the pan, trim edges, and dock the base with a fork. Bake the crust for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let it cool completely.
  3. Infuse the Milk: In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk with the vanilla bean seeds and the pod. Heat over medium flame just until steam begins to rise; do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to deeply infuse the vanilla flavor.
  4. Whisk the Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until pale and slightly thickened. This mixture will form the base of your pastry cream.
  5. Temper the Eggs: Slowly and steadily pour the warm infused milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  6. Cook the Pastry Cream: Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the cream thickens, about 5-7 minutes. It is ready when it is glossy and can coat the back of the spoon. Immediately remove from heat to prevent overcooking.
  7. Finish and Chill: Stir in the room temperature butter until fully incorporated, adding silkiness to the cream. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to avoid forming a skin. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled before filling the baked tart shell.
  8. Assemble the Tart: Once the tart shell and pastry cream are cooled, spoon or pipe the pastry cream evenly into the shell. Garnish with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, edible gold leaf or toasted almond slivers, and fresh mint leaves as desired. Serve chilled.

Notes

  • Ensure the butter and water used in the crust are ice cold to achieve a flaky texture.
  • Do not boil the milk when infusing vanilla to avoid curdling the eggs later.
  • Constant stirring during cooking the pastry cream prevents lumps and sticking.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the pastry cream surface to prevent a skin from forming during chilling.
  • You can substitute fresh vanilla bean with 2 tsp vanilla extract if unavailable, adding it after cooking the cream.
  • This tart can be prepared a day ahead; store it covered in the refrigerator.

Keywords: vanilla bean tart, pastry cream tart, decadent dessert, homemade tart crust, vanilla pastry cream, berry tart, French tart recipe, elegant dessert

Find it online: https://dailysimplerecipe.com/decadent-vanilla-bean-tart-with-silky-pastry-cream-recipe/