Silky Vanilla Bean Pastry Tart (Printer-Friendly)
Crisp buttery crust meets smooth vanilla bean cream in this elegant French tart
# What You’ll Need:
→ Tart Crust
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tbsp ice water (as needed)
→ Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 2 tsp pure vanilla bean paste)
09 - 4 large egg yolks
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Assembly
14 - Fresh berries or fruit (optional)
15 - Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
# How To Make It:
01 - Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse again. Gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into the pan and trim excess dough. Prick the base with a fork.
04 - Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 8–10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.
05 - In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla bean (both seeds and pod) over medium heat until just simmering. Remove and discard the vanilla pod.
06 - In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale and smooth.
07 - Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth and glossy.
08 - Transfer pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until cold (at least 1 hour).
09 - Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled tart shell. Top with fresh berries or seasonal fruit if desired. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving if preferred.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The contrast between that buttery, shatteringly crisp crust and the silkiness inside is absolutely worth every minute
- Once you master this pastry cream, you'll want to put it on everything from cakes to fresh berries
02 -
- That plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream is non-negotiable if you want a smooth, glossy finish without any weird skin
- Room temperature egg yolks incorporate much more easily into the hot milk than cold ones, preventing scrambled bits in your finished cream
03 -
- If you want extra protection against a soggy bottom, brush the cooled crust with melted white chocolate before adding the pastry cream
- Room temperature ingredients are your friend, especially when it comes to the butter in the pastry cream