Summer Fruit Tart

My children grew up watching me cook/bake and they apparently learned a thing or two in the process. When I recently celebrated a birthday, my girls presented me with this stunning fruit tart that they made without my help. Well, I answered a few baking-related questions… and provided the tart pan, but everything else they did on their own. Proud Momma moment.

The written recipe can be found at the bottom of this page, but you can click HERE to see complete step-by-step photos.

ITEMS USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

(affiliate links)

• 10-inch tart pan https://amzn.to/2O27QYs

• heavy-bottom saucepan https://amzn.to/2Fc38Vu

• BeaterBlade attachment https://amzn.to/2FdzyyP

• fine mesh sieve https://amzn.to/3oGA5iT

• offset spatula https://amzn.to/3LsLZ9X

• professional pastry brush https://amzn.to/2F6uif9

• vanilla beans https://amzn.to/3rJUHc4

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MIXED BERRY FRUIT TART

makes a 10-inch tart

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 4 egg yolks

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

SHORTBREAD TART SHELL:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

FRUIT FILLING:

• 3 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced

• 1 mango, peeled and sliced

• 1 pint blueberries

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

• 2 tablespoons apple or apricot jelly (for glaze)

DIRECTIONS

TO MAKE THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM:

1. In a small heavy-bottom sauce pan over medium heat, combine milk, split vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds.

2. Remove from heat as soon as small bubbles start to appear around the perimeter of the pan.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and egg yolks until smooth.

4. Sift cornstarch into the egg mixture; whisk until smooth again.

5. Add a ladle or two of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; whisk immediately.

6. Pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture and return to heat, whisking constantly for a minute or two until it thickens.

7. Remove from heat and whisk in butter.

8. Pour hot mixture through a sieve into a shallow bowl.

9. Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap touching the surface.

10. Chill until thoroughly cooled.

TO MAKE THE SHORTBREAD TART SHELL:

1. Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade attachment; mix on low speed until evenly combined and mixture looks crumbly.

2. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch removable bottom tart pan.

3. Freeze tart shell for 20-30 minutes while the oven preheats.

4. Preheat oven to 350F (lower temp by 25F if you use a dark tart pan like I did).

5. Place tart pan on a rimmed sheet pan and bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of the shell turn golden brown.

6. Cool completely before assembling (about an hour).

TO ASSEMBLE TART:

1. Spread vanilla pastry cream evenly into cooled tart shell using an offset spatula.

2. Arrange prepared fruit as you wish.

3. Heat jelly with a little water until the jelly melts and makes a glaze; brush on fruit.

4. Chill tart until service.

Bruno's Authentic French Vanilla Ice Cream

So it’s officially the last week of summer and I can’t let the season end without sharing this recipe that comes from a classically-trained French Pastry Chef, who was given the recipe by an authentic Glacier (a professional ice cream maker in France). Sheet gelatin and commercial kitchen techniques result in the creamiest, most amazing French Vanilla Ice Cream imaginable. It’s Michelin star-worthy.

Please note - the ice cream base should be made a day before processing in your ice cream maker.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• good ice cream maker https://amzn.to/3bu4ucE

• better ice cream maker https://amzn.to/35aUl3u

• immersion blender https://amzn.to/3h3DPEA

• pure vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/34SgdCu

• gelatin sheets https://amzn.to/3igQJQU

• standard digital scale https://amzn.to/363ysFz

• digital gram scale https://amzn.to/3bAEiwM

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Authentic French Vanilla Ice Cream

makes 1 quart

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 500g whole milk

• 180g granulated sugar

• 30g glucose or light corn syrup

• 30g dry milk powder

• 8g vanilla bean paste

• 2g salt (see notes below)

• 100g egg yolks (about 5)

• 4g gelatin sheets

• 300g heavy cream

Directions

1. Soak gelatin sheets in a few cups of cold water for 5-10 minutes, then remove sheets and gently squeeze out excess water; set aside until needed.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugar, glucose (or corn syrup), and salt together until the temperature reaches 113F (45c).

3. Using an immersion blender, add dry milk to the warm milk mixture, then add the egg yolks and continue blending with the immersion blender until the mixture reaches 185F (85c); remove from heat.

4. Use the immersion blender to add the gelatin sheets, followed by the cream and vanilla.

5. Pour mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow the flavors to mature.

6. Process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions and serve right away or transfer mixture to a freezer-safe container for longer storage.

7. To serve, allow frozen ice cream to soften at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before scooping.

Notes

• Gelatin Sheets - don’t be too concerned with the “bloom strength” of the sheet gelatin you use for this recipe. Just be sure the total weight is equal to 4 grams.

• Standard digital scales are great for weighing most ingredients, but they’re not so great when weighing very minimal amounts. When weighing just a few grams, like the salt in this recipe, it’s best to use a precise digital gram scale. If you don’t have a digital gram scale, you’ll have to approximate. For reference, 1 teaspoon of table salt weighs 5.69g so you’d need approximately 1/3 teaspoon table salt for this recipe (the volume would differ if using kosher salt).

• For the best flavor, be sure to refrigerate the ice cream base for 24 hours before processing in your ice cream maker.

adapted from Bruno Albouze