Fancy Fruit Tart Recipes

FRESH FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream. In the bowl of a food processor with a blade attachment, pulse the flour, butter, sugar and salt until no big chunks of butter remain. Slowly add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture. Blend to combine but don't overwork the dough.
• Remove the dough and, turning it out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it 4 or 5 times to incorporate.
• Divide the dough in half if making one large tart. Divide the dough into four pieces if making mini tarts. Flatten the dough pieces into discs with your hands, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. (Freeze any remaining pieces for another project for up to 3 months.)
• Make the pastry cream: Put a damp kitchen towel under a medium bowl and whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the sugar until the yolks are lighter in color, about 2 minutes. (The towel will ensure the bowl doesn't slide around.) Add the cornstarch and salt, whisk again, and set the bowl aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the remaining sugar 1/4 cup sugar and cook until the mixture almost boils, 4 to 5 minutes. With one hand, start whisking the egg yolk mixture; with the other hand, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the bowl, whisking until all the milk is incorporated.
• Pour the custard back into the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring constantly, on medium-high heat, until the mixture is thick and one bubble plops up on top, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the custard from the heat and pour into a clean medium bowl. Don't scrape the pot if the bottom looks burned or like scrambled eggs. Now, stir in the butter and vanilla. Keep stirring until the butter melts. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl so it is touching the pastry cream, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Bake the tart shell or shells: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a circle (about 9 inches across and 1/2 inch thick for one large tart and about 6 inches across and 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick for four mini tarts.
• Lay the dough onto the tart pan, and then using your fingers, gently press it down. Try not to tear the dough or make it too thin. Ideally, it should be an even thickness all the way across.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully trim the edges so the dough is perfectly even with the top of the tart shell (see Cook's Note). Place the tart shell on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a fork, poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of the tart shell to keep bubbles from forming during baking. Refrigerate the tart shell for 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tart shells if using.
• Remove the pan or pans from the fridge and lay a piece of parchment over the chilled dough. Fill the uncooked tart shell with pie weights or dried beans or uncooked rice.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then, using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Return the baking sheet to the oven, continuing to bake until the crust is golden brown, 5 to 8 more minutes. Let the pan or pans cool on a wire rack.
• Make the glaze and finish the tart: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the apricot jam and water. Stir with a fork as it cooks until the mixture is a thin, shiny liquid, about 3 minutes.
• Take the pastry cream from the fridge and, in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat the pastry cream to loosen it up. Spread the pastry cream in a thin 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer on the bottom of the tart shell.
• Carefully cut the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, mangos and figs. Arrange the fruit so there is no visible pastry cream. (You can make the tart look awesome by laying the fruit in cool patterns.)
• Once the fruit is arranged, use a soft pastry brush to paint it with the warm apricot glaze. Don't leave any bare spots. Make sure to glaze all the fruit. Take your time.
• Cut and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

FANCY FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Press cookie dough in an ungreased 11" x 15" jellyroll pan or 12" pizza pan.
• Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes.
• Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Carefully remove cookie crust from pan with a metal spatula, and transfer to a serving platter if desired.
• Beat cream cheese at medium speed of an electric beater until creamy.
• Gradually add sugar and orange juice, beating well.
• Spread mixture evenly over prepared crust.
• Cover and chill 30 minutes.
• Arrange fruit on top of cream cheese mixture.
• Heat jelly in a small saucepan over low heat until melted.
• Brush fruit with jelly.
• Cut tart into square to serve.

RUSTIC FRUIT TART

Steps:

• For the raisins: In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the Mulled Wine for 1 hour.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, butter, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter, mix the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use just enough cold water, about 2 tablespoons, to bring the mixture together. Form a disk with the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a clean surface, roll the dough to a large circle roughly 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
• For the tart: Spread the pears in the center of the dough, leaving a 3-inch border on the outside. Remove the raisins from the wine and put on top of the pears.
• In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, almond paste, butter, cinnamon, salt and orange juice. Sprinkle the mixture over the pears and raisins. Fold over the edges of the dough to encircle the pears. Bake until the pears are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
• Begin by placing the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and star anise into a large piece of cheesecloth. Make a pouch and tie it with kitchen twine.
• In a large nonreactive pot over medium heat, add the wine, honey, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice and the cheesecloth of spices and bring to a simmer (be sure not to bring to a boil). Simmer for 30 minutes, and then add the brandy.