How to Make a Fresh Fruit Tart With White Chocolate Pastry Cream

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By scharais
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Fresh Fruit Tart with White Chocolate Pastry Cream

This fresh fruit tart consists of sliced and whole fruits with a white chocolate pastry cream, all encased in a sweet, crumbly almond cookie tart shell. Topped with a Apricot Glaze. This is one show stopper that will even impress yourself when you are done. Great to do as individual tarts as well.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Make the crust:
1/2 cup whole almonds, unroasted and unsalted
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Fresh Fruit Needed:
1qt. fresh strawberries
1pt. fresh blackberries
1pt. fresh red raspberries
4 large kiwi
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained well
1 pt. of blueberries
Mint Leaves
1 small jar of Apricot
Preserves
1 small bottle of Smucker's Raspberry Sauce
White Chocolate Pastry Cream:
6 egg yolks
5 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, halved
2 tablespoons butter
3 ounces white chocolate

Step 1

Blended Almond Dough

MAKING THE ALMOND COOKIE DOUGH:
In a food processor, blend the almonds and sugar together until coarsely ground. Add the cold cubes of butter, pulse until the butter is incorporated. Add the flour and salt and pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than small peas. Add the heavy cream and egg yolks, pulse just until it begins to come together.

Turn the blended dough onto a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and flatten gently into a round disk. Wrap the parchment around the disk and you can refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, freeze for 10 minutes, or until firm.
Step 2

Almond Dough in Tart Pan

PREPARING AND BAKING THE ALMOND COOKIE DOUGH:
Begin to preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll onto a lightly floured surface until the dough is approximately 11.5 inches round by 1/4 inch thick. Carefully place the dough into the 11 inch tart pan, pressing it into the pan and up the sides so there is a little bit of the dough hanging over. Place the dough back in the freezer in the tart pan, for 10 minutes. This will help the dough from shrinking as well as keep its shape during the baking process.

Transfer the frozen shell from the freezer into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. If air bubbles begin to form during baking, prick them with a fork. Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool slightly, on a cooling rack.
Step 3

Finished White Chocolate Pastry Cream

PREPARING THE WHITE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM:
In a medium stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until they begin to turn pale yellow in color. Whisk in corn starch and set aside.
In a 2 quart stainless steel saucepan, bring the milk and split whole vanilla bean to a boil. When it comes to a boil remove from heat and remove vanilla bean. With a whisk, mix a small amount (about 1/2 the milk) of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture. (This is called tempering, it helps to prevent your eggs from turning into scrambled eggs.) Return milk to medium heat while constantly whisking, slowly add the rest of the egg mixture to the milk. The mixture will begin to slowly thicken. DO NOT WALK AWAY from this step you could easily have overcooked pastry cream.
Allow to just come to a light boil. Remove from the heat and stir in your butter. Put mixture through a fine strainer into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap allowing the plastic wrap to touch the top of the pastry cream (this prevents the pastry cream from forming a skin over top). Cool only slightly you need enough residual heat to be able to mix in the melted white chocolate. If it is too cold the white chocolate will seize.
In a small microwave safe bowl place your measured chocolate chip in the bowl and place in the microwave for 15 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir in the melted white chocolate into the pastry cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the tart.
Step 4

Cut Mixed Fresh Fruit

PREPARING THE FRUIT:
Begin by washing and draining, on a paper towel, the strawberries, red raspberries, blackberries, mandarin oranges, blueberries, and kiwi. Hull and halve the strawberries.(REMINDER: wash the berries last, they can wilt very easily). Peel and thinly slice the kiwi. Set fruit aside until ready to assemble the tart.
Step 5

Pastry Cream Filled Tart Shell

ASSEMBLY OF THE TART:
Begin by taking your cooled Almond Cookie Crust and fill 3/4 of the tart with the chilled pastry cream. DO NOT overfill, you need to leave room for your wonderful fruit. Take the strawberries and begin to place them on the outer rim of the tart. Then proceed with placing the kiwi, mandarin oranges, blackberries, and red raspberries in the middle. Take the blueberries and place them in the middle of each kiwi slice.
Step 6

Melted Apricot Glaze

APRICOT GLAZE:
In a small microwave safe bowl, place your measure out preserves into the bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave for 15 second intervals until completely melted. Brush, with a pastry brush, the glaze on top of the fruit to add not only sweetness to the fruit but also a wonderful looking shine.
Place in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours before serving.
Step 7

TO SERVE:
To serve your tart being by taking a small desert plate and swirl the raspberry sauce on the plate. Place a nice wedge of the tart on the middle of the plate. And sprinkle a chiffonade of mint over the top. No other garnish is needed. The tart will speak for itself