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Decadent Tart with Silky Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 73 reviews

Indulge in a decadent tart featuring a buttery, flaky pâte sucrée crust filled with silky smooth vanilla bean pastry cream. This elegant dessert combines classic pastry fundamentals with luxurious flavor, offering a perfect balance of crisp texture and velvety custard infused with real vanilla bean. Finished with fresh berries and optional garnishes, it is ideal for special occasions or refined everyday treats.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tart Crust:

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar, finely sifted
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp ice-cold water

For the Silky Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

Optional Garnishes:

  • Fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries)
  • A dusting of powdered sugar
  • Edible gold leaf or toasted almond slivers
  • Fresh mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Infuse the Milk: In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, vanilla bean seeds, and pod. Heat over medium flame until steam just begins to rise, careful not to boil. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes to extract deep vanilla flavor.
  2. Whisk Egg Mixture: In a bowl, vigorously whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, creating the base for the pastry cream.
  3. Temper the Eggs: Gradually pour the warm infused milk into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  4. Cook to Perfection: Transfer the combined mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. After 5-7 minutes, when the cream thickens and becomes glossy, coating the back of the spoon, immediately remove from heat.
  5. Finish and Chill: Stir in room temperature unsalted butter until fully incorporated, enhancing silkiness. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation, and chill thoroughly before filling the tart.
  6. Prepare the Tart Dough: In a large bowl, whisk sifted flour, powdered sugar, and sea salt together. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to rub cold diced butter into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
  7. Incorporate Egg Yolk and Water: Add egg yolk and ice-cold water, gently mixing until dough just comes together. Avoid overworking to maintain tender, flaky texture.
  8. Chill the Dough: Form dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up.
  9. Roll and Blind Bake: On lightly floured surface, roll dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press gently into pan and dock the bottom with a fork to prevent bubbling. Chill tart shell for 15 minutes. Blind bake with pie weights for 15 minutes, then remove weights and bake another 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
  10. Assemble the Tart: Once crust is cooled, fill with chilled vanilla bean pastry cream evenly. Garnish top with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, toasted almond slivers, fresh mint leaves, or edible gold leaf as desired for visual and flavor enhancement.

Notes

  • If vanilla beans are unavailable, substitute with 1 ½ tsp high-quality pure vanilla extract added off heat to preserve flavor intensity.
  • Stir pastry cream constantly during cooking to avoid lumps and ensure silky texture; strain through fine-mesh sieve if needed.
  • Both crust and pastry cream can be prepared up to 2 days in advance; store covered in refrigerator.
  • Chilling dough before rolling prevents shrinkage and helps maintain shape during baking.
  • Bring tart to room temperature before serving to optimize flavor and texture.
  • Keep finished tart refrigerated, covered loosely to protect crust crispness; consume within 2 days for best quality.

Keywords: vanilla bean tart, pastry cream tart, pâte sucrée, elegant dessert, blueberry tart, raspberries, classic French pastry, creamy custard tart

Find it online: https://bitesizedbenny.com/decadent-tart-with-silky-vanilla-bean-pastry-cream-recipe/