Vanilla tart with wild berries 

Fruit tarts are one of the typical desserts of summer and autumn, when there is a wide variety of fruit on the stalls and the limit to prepare it is only the imagination. In this recipe I offer you the berry tart, very simple in the final composition, the important thing will be to make the cream and shortcrust pastry well. The berry tart is a very popular fresh dessert, a real delicious and elegant classic, which everyone really likes. This tart, is excellent to serve as a dessert or as a snack, it is formed by a bed of fragrant shortcrust pastry filled with an exquisite custard. But what makes this tart really special and irresistible? The secret is precisely the pleasant contrast that is created between the sweet taste of the cream and the fresh and slightly sour taste of the berries, which can also be tried in the tiramisu version. Just one slice will be enough and you will be pleasantly surprised by its goodness!

INGREDIENTS

Cold butter 85 g

1 egg yolk

Flour 170 g

Lemons 1/2

Powdered sugar 70 g

FOR THE CUSTARD

Whole milk 200 Ml

Cornstarch 25 g

Yolks, egg yolks 3

Sugar 70 g

Fresh liquid cream 50 Ml

Half vanilla bean

FOR THE COATING

Wild strawberries 125 g

Blackberries 125 g

Redcurrant berries 125 g

Blueberries 125 g

Raspberries 125 g

Mint 5 leaves

PREPARATION

To prepare the berry tart, start with the shortcrust pastry, starting with sandblasting: in a mixer, place the sifted flour and the butter just removed from the refrigerator, cut into small pieces. Blend everything until you get a sandy, floury mixture, then pour the sandblasting on a work surface (or in a bowl) and add the sifted icing sugar; Create the shape of a fountain and place the grated lemon zest in the center. Add the egg yolk as well, then knead the dough briefly, just long enough to compact it so that the pastry does not heat up too much with the heat of your hands and remains crumbly. Form a dough and flatten it well; Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let it firm. In the meantime, prepare the custard. Put a large pot with milk on the stove and liquid cream; Then take the vanilla pod, cut it with a small knife and extract the seeds by scraping it. Add both the seeds and the vanilla bean to the milk and cream mixture and turn on a low heat. When the mixture has almost boiled, turn off the heat and let the vanilla infuse for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add the sugar. Mix everything with an electric mixer (or a hand whisk) to obtain a smooth cream and then add the sifted cornstarch, stirring constantly to mix well with the rest of the mixture. After 5 minutes, remove the vanilla bean that you had left to infuse in the milk and cream. At this point, add the beaten eggs with the sugar and cornstarch to the mixture, mixing well with a whisk. Turn on the low heat again and stir constantly to thicken the mixture for a maximum of 4 minutes. When the custard is thick, turn off the heat and pour it into a low, large bowl, immediately covering it with cling film to prevent the formation of the annoying crust; Let it cool first to room temperature and then in the refrigerator for at least an hour. In the meantime, grease and flour the 35x11 cm tart mold (alternatively you can use a round mold with a diameter of about 20 cm); After 30 minutes, remove the pastry from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then roll out the shortcrust pastry with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1 cm and measuring about 35x11 cm. Wrap the base on the rolling pin and unroll it on the rectangular mold; Once well rolled out, always with a rolling pin, press on the edges of the mold in order to remove the excess side parts, finally, with the tines of a fork, prick the surface without piercing the dough. 

PRESERVATION

If you want, you can prepare the custard and shortcrust pastry the day before and assemble the tart an hour before serving. You can store the berry tart in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days. For the shortcrust pastry: store it in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for a couple of days at most; You can freeze it wrapped in plastic wrap or in a freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. You can keep the custard in the refrigerator for 2-3 days at most, covered with plastic wrap; You can freeze it for a month.

ADVICE

If you want to complete your cake with an extra finishing touch, I recommend covering the berries with cake jelly.