Strawberry Tart

This tart was insanely delicious if I do say so myself! I could live off vanilla pastry cream. This is super easy and scrumptious. The crust was flaky and delicious and the pastry cream was so creamy and not over-poweringly sweet, but still a perfect contrast to the tart strawberries :). You must make this while strawberries are still in season. You can also substitute for any fruit depending on the season. Mangoes would be awesome and you could an Independence Day version with blueberries and raspberries, with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Yumm :)

French Tart Crust
Adapted from David Lebovitz

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp (about a large pinch) salt
5 oz flour (about a cup)

Preheat the oven to 410° F. In an oven-proof bowl, combine everything except the flour. Stick it in the over for 15 minutes or until it's bubbly and the edges are slightly brown. Be careful because it will sizzle and may crackle as you take it out of the oven. *Keep your oven on because you will use the same temp in like 5 minutes.* Immediate stir in the flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Reserve about a tsp to patch up any cracks. Transfer it to a 9-in tart pan and when cool enough to handle, press it around with your hand until the thickness all around is uniform. Prick the bottom 10-15 times with a fork and bake at 410° F for 15 minutes. If there are any cracks, patch them up with the reserved dough and stick it back into the hot oven for a couple minute so it can cook. Let cool completely before using.

Vanilla Pastry Cream
Adapted from Foodwishes

1/2 tbsp butter
1 c whole milk
1 c heavy cream
6 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
big pinch of salt

Whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch until it is light lemony and will form thick ribbons when lifted with the whisk. Bring the milk, cream, and butter to boil in a heavy saucepan. When the dairy come to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the egg mixture while whisking quickly. Cook while whisking constantly for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Take off the heat and strain in case any bit of egg scrambles against the bottom. Let come to room temp before refrigerating and chill for at least 2-3hours before using.

I didn't use all the pastry cream for this one tart shell but I'm sure I can find something to do with the leftover pastry cream ;). To assemble, spread pastry cream in tart and arrange sliced strawberries. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve. Enjoy!