There is a giant plate of fruit cream tart in my fridge I don't know what to do with.
I realized today why I have been stuck on squares this summer. With no one in the house but me to eat my baking, I need something easily transportable otherwise my diet would end up severely out of whack...
The product of my labor today is a fruit tart, made with a layer of sweet crumble crust, topped with vanilla custard cream, and finally a selection of fresh fruits from the local market (except the kiwis; they snuck in from some tropical place).
Is it just me or does that sound like a server's spiel??
It is a combination of three different recipes and some of my own creativity. Which of course posed a similar problem to the cookies on Wednesday: it has the potential for complete disaster. But somehow I was lucky again and the mish-mash of recipes worked out!
I will have to articulate the recipe here because it would be a feat to explain where all the bits and pieces came from. Since my Mum is visiting me a week after her birthday, and good old Canada has her birthday in two days, it is very much a celebratory tart.
(In England 'tart' is also slang for a female prostitute. I know I'm supposed to be a mature adult but I still have trouble typing 'celebratory tart' without giggling.)
It is also the result of me wanting to make pastry and it being too hot for cake. Except it's not really pastry. But I'll work up to that. I know I need to perfect my pastry if I want to be one of those amazing pastry granny ladies eventually.
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Fresh Fruit Cream Tart
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract*
5 tbsps sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 cup whipping cream
2-3 cups fresh fruit (I used kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, but mangos or peaches would also be a nice addition)
*I used artificial (owed to student budget), but Martha Stewart suggests using a proper vanilla bean...maybe in another life
Crumble Crust
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, sugar, and butter in large bowl. Beat with hand mixer until fine crumb forms. Press into lightly greased 12 inch springform pan, making sure to push about an inch up the sides. Bake for about 15 mins, or until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
Custard Cream Filling
Cook milk, vanilla, and 4 tbsps vanilla in saucepan over high heat until just about to boil.
In small bowl beat egg yolks with remaining sugar. Add cornstarch and flour and whisk until completely combined. Slowly pour heated mixture over egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to stove on med-high heat and continue to whisk until thickened, about 2 mins.
Remove from heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Let cool slightly, cover with saran wrap and then refrigerate until set, about 30 mins. Make sure the plastic is pressed directly on custard to avoid condensation.
Once the custard is set, whip cream in small bowl with hand mixer. Fold into custard. Remove crust from springform pan. Spread custard cream evenly over crust with a spatula. Refrigerate about 10 mins.
Meanwhile, chop and wash fruit and set aside. Remove the tart from fridge and arrange fruit as desired.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Mother suggests this is unreasonable because it will be gone in one.
Recipe adapted from the following websites: Martha Stewart, The Food Network, and Joy of Baking.
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I think turning my oven on in today's heat put me at risk of heat stroke. IT'S SO HOT HERE. How do people live in climates like this??!?
For this reason I'm glad I didn't make a full-on pie. Would have passed out for sure.
Perhaps I should save my pastry-making till the winter, when our oven is the main source of heat. (Cue mental image of five girls wrapped in blankets huddled around the stove watching a pie bake).
As much as I wanted summer, I already miss the cold...at least when you're cold there's no end of blankets to smother yourself in. In the heat there are only so many layers of clothes you can remove.
Aaaaaaand on that note,
Happy Canada Day! Happy Birthday Mum! And FESTIVUS for the REST OF US!
Peace & Love
Nicola ♡
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