Our berry tart is simple to make and looks stunning. Start with a tart shell, which you can make or buy. Then spread a pastry cream in the shell and top with mixed berries of your choice! We think blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries work best.
Great for a patriotic occasion or for a picnic!
Optional: Drizzle it all in Crème Anglaise which is a light pouring custard. Our Crème Anglaise has an added berry flavor usinr Blackberry Sage Tea from The Republic of Tea company, but any berry-flavored black tea will work.
Check out this page for more delicious summer recipe ideas using seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Tart Shell:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, butter, salt, and sugar in food processor and blend until dough resembles cornmeal. Add just enough ice water to bring the dough together. Gather dough into a ball, flatten to a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill 30 minutes. Press into a 9- or 10-inch tart pan and generously prick the bottom with a fork. Bake at 350 F until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Pastry Cream Filling:
While tart is baking, prepare pastry cream: Scald cream and milk by placing over medium heat until steam rises. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, combine eggs, sugar, and cornstarch. SLOWLY adding a little hot cream/milk to the egg mixture and stir. Slowly “temper” or warm the eggs so they mix smoothly or you’ll end up with little scrambled egg bits in the milk.
Continue adding the cream/milk until it all begins to simmer and thicken, then whisk until the mix is smooth.
Remove from heat immediately and stir in butter and vanilla.
Cool, then spread in cooled, baked tart shell. Arrange assorted berries on top.
Creme Anglaise (Custard):
While the pastry cream and tart shell are cooling, prepare the Creme Anglaise.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk and tea leaves until bubbles form at edges. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 15 to 30 minutes.
While cream is heating, whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a bowl (on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes) until mixture is smooth, pale in color, and doubled in volume.
While eggs are mixing, reheat milk until steaming, then remove from heat. Whisk the egg mixture into milk, stirring constantly.
Return mixture to low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, about 15 minutes, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and has the consistency of thick gravy. Cool by placing saucepan in larger pot filled with ice cubes and cold water. Stir continuously until cooled, 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve, place tart slice on plate. Pour Creme Anglaise over slice and garnish with extra berries.
