Ingredients:
- g Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
- g Caster Sugar
- g All-Purpose Flour
- Pinch of Salt
- Large Egg Yolk
- tbsp Cold Water (if needed)
- ml Whole Milk
- tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- Large Egg Yolks
- g Caster Sugar
- g Cornflour (Cornstarch)
- g Unsalted Butter, cubed (optional)
- g Fresh Strawberries, hulled and sliced
- g Apricot Jam (for glaze)
- tbsp Water (for glaze)
Instructions:
- Make the Pastry: Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Rub in cold butter until coarse crumbs form. Add the egg yolk and mix until just combined. Wrap dough and chill for at least 60 minutes.
- Blind Bake the Shells: Roll out chilled dough thinly. Line 12 tartlet tins, trim edges, and dock the bottoms. Chill for 30 minutes. Line with parchment and baking beans. Par-bake, remove weights, and bake until pale golden. Cool completely.
- Prepare the Crème Pâtissière: Gently heat milk and vanilla until just simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour until pale and thick.
- Temper and Cook the Custard: Slowly whisk half the hot milk into the yolk mixture to temper. Pour this back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Whisk continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickens dramatically and comes to a rolling boil (boil for 1 minute).
- Finish the Custard: Remove from heat. Whisk in the cold butter (if using). Pass the hot custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill completely (at least 2 hours).
- Assemble the Tarts: Once the shells and custard are cold, whip the chilled custard briefly to smooth it out. Spoon or pipe the crème pâtissière evenly into the cooled tart shells.
- Arrange and Glaze: Artistically arrange the sliced fresh strawberries over the custard.
- Create the Glaze: Gently warm the apricot jam with water until liquid. Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the glaze over the exposed strawberries to give them a shine. Chill briefly before serving.