Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream
The traditional strawberry tart of French pâtisseries: crumbly shortcrust baked blind, silky vanilla pastry cream, and the season's first strawberries arranged in a crown. Success rests on three details: barely worked dough, lump-free cream covered flush with film, and peak-season strawberries.
Original recipe : Il était une fois la pâtisserie
Ingredients
- For the pastry: 250 g flour
- 125 g cold butter, diced
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch salt
- For the pastry cream: 300 ml whole milk
- ½ vanilla pod
- 3 egg yolks
- 70 g caster sugar
- 30 g cornflour
- 30 g butter
- For the topping: 500 g strawberries
- Icing sugar (to finish)
Method
- 1Make the pastry: rub flour, butter, icing sugar and salt to crumbs, add the egg and bring together without overworking. Wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
- 2Roll out, line a 24 cm tin, prick and bake blind 20–25 minutes at 180 °C until golden. Cool.
- 3Make the cream: bring the milk to a boil with the split, scraped half vanilla pod.
- 4Whisk the yolks with the sugar, add the cornflour. Pour in the hot milk while whisking, return to low heat and cook, whisking, until thick.
- 5Off the heat, whisk in the butter. Cover flush with film and refrigerate.
- 6Loosen the cold cream with a whisk and spread over the tart base.
- 7Wash, hull and halve the strawberries; arrange over the cream.
- 8Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving.
Tips & tricks
- Work the dough as little as possible: overworked, it turns tough.
- Cover the pastry cream flush with film to prevent a skin.
- Choose peak-season strawberries — they are 80% of the result.
Variations
- A veil of neutral glaze or redcurrant jelly makes the berries shine.
- A thin layer of ground almonds under the cream keeps the base crisp.
Storage
24 h refrigerated at most — the pastry softens beyond that.
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter : coconut oil, plant-based margarine or nut butter (dairy-free / vegan).
- Eggs : apple sauce (50 g per egg) or 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water.
- Milk : plant-based drink (almond, oat, soy).
- Cream : soy, oat or coconut cream.
- Sugar : maple syrup, honey or coconut sugar.
- Wheat flour : a gluten-free flour blend (rice + buckwheat) or ground almonds.
What to serve it with
- A coffee or fragrant tea
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Homemade custard
- Some fresh seasonal fruit
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make "Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream"?
Allow about 45 min of prep and 25 min of cooking, i.e. 1 h 10 min in total for 6 servings.
Is this recipe easy to make?
Its difficulty is "Medium". Following the steps in order and our tips, it stays accessible.
Can I make "Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream" ahead and store it?
24 h refrigerated at most — the pastry softens beyond that.
How many servings does this recipe make?
The quantities are for 6 servings. To adjust, simply multiply or divide the ingredients by the number of guests.
Is this recipe vegetarian?
Yes, "Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream" is vegetarian: it contains no meat or fish.
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