Serves: 6
Active time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Freezing time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Storage: up to 24 hours in the refrigerator
Ingredients
For the sweet short pastry
- ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (3½oz/100g) flour
- 2½ tbsp (½oz/15g) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (1½oz/40g) confectioners’ sugar
- Scant 1 /8 tsp (1g) salt
- 4 tbsp (2oz/60g) butter, diced
- ½ tsp (3g) vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (¾oz/20g) lightly beaten egg (about ½ an egg)
For the almond-pistachio cream
- 4 tbsp (2oz/60g) butter, diced, at room temperature
- Scant 1 /3 cup (2oz/60g) sugar
- Scant 1 /3 cup (2oz/60g) almond flour
- 1 oz (25g) pistachio paste
- 3½ tbsp (1¾oz/50g) lightly beaten egg (1 egg)
For the pastry cream
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (7 /8 oz/25g) sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1½ tbsp (1oz/25g) egg yolk (about 1½ yolks)
- 1 tbsp plus scant 1 tsp (½oz/12g) cornstarch ½ oz (15g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (¾oz/20g) butter
For the strawberry jelly
- 2 sheets (1 /6oz/4g) gelatin
- 2 oz (60g) strawberry purée
- 2 tbsp (30ml) water
- 2 tbsp (30ml) strawberry syrup
- 3½ tbsp (1oz/30g) glucose syrup
For decoration
- 1 lb 2 oz (500g) strawberries
- ¾ oz (20g) unsalted, skinned pistachios, roughly chopped
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 9in (23cm) tart ring or pan with a removable base
- 2 pastry bags fitted with plain 1/2in (15mm) tips
- Electric hand beater
- Instant-read thermometer
Directions
Making the sweet short pastry
1Fit the stand mixer with a paddle beater and combine the flour, almond flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the bowl.
2Add the butter and beat until the mixture has a crumbly texture, like coarse bread crumbs. Beat in the vanilla and egg until just combined. Shape the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes. Line the tart ring with the pastry and freeze for 10 minutes.
Making the almond-pistachio cream
1Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C/Gas Mark 3).
2Beat the butter with a spatula until creamy.
3Add the sugar, almond flour, pistachio paste and egg and beat until very smooth.
4 Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe it over the base of the tart. Bake for 30-35 minutes and allow to cool.
Making the pastry cream
1Combine the milk and half of the sugar in a saucepan. Scrape in the seeds of the vanilla bean and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2 Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolk with the remaining sugar in a mixing bowl until blended and slightly thickened.
3Sift the cornstarch and flour into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. As soon as the milk comes to a boil, slowly pour it onto the egg and starch mixture, whisking constantly. This will loosen the mixture and heat it a little.
4Return to the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking vigorously. Continue to boil, still whisking, for 2-3 minutes.
5Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until smooth.
6To cool quickly, line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and spread the cream over it. Press another piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the cream.
Making the strawberry jelly
1Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water until softened.
2Heat the purée, water, strawberry syrup, and glucose in a saucepan to 122°F (50°C).
3Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin sheets and stir into the hot strawberry mixture until completely dissolved. Remove from the heat.
Assembling the tart
1Spoon the pastry cream into a pastry bag and pipe it into the tart crust so the baked almond-pistachio cream is completely covered.
2Slice the strawberries in half and arrange them in circles on top of the tart, with a whole strawberry in the centre.
3Brush the warm strawberry jelly carefully over the strawberries and scatter with the chopped pistachios.
IMAGE ©BRUNO DE MONTE
First printed in our sister publication France Today
Want more mouth-watering recipes? Order this wonderful book by clicking the link below!
