Erdbeer-Tarte (strawberry tart)

Method

1. Rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar and salt until it looks like coarse crumbs, then work in the egg yolk and water just until a dough forms. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough and line a 24 cm tart tin. Prick the base, line with baking paper and baking beans, and blind bake at 200°C for 12 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake 5 to 8 more minutes, until pale gold all over. Cool completely.
3. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch into a little of the cold milk until smooth. Heat the rest of the milk until steaming, then whisk it in. Return to the pan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a stiff, glossy pastry cream, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Press cling film onto the surface and chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Whisk the chilled pastry cream smooth and spread it evenly over the cooled tart shell.
5. Arrange the strawberries over the pastry cream, cut side down if halved, in a close, even pattern.
6. Brush the warmed red currant jelly over the strawberries to glaze. Chill briefly before slicing.

Method in the Thermomix

Written for a TM5 or TM6, 2.2 litre bowl. This covers the pastry cream; the shell and finishing are the same as the hand method.

1. Milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch into the bowl. Cook 6 min / 90 °C / speed 3, until thickened to a stiff pastry cream.
2. Stir in the vanilla. Mix 5 sec / speed 2. Press cling film onto the surface and chill as in the hand method.

Notes

• Chill the pastry cream fully before spreading it. Spread warm, it soaks slightly into the tart shell and loses the clean layer that holds the strawberries up properly.
• Glaze the strawberries within an hour of assembling. Left unglazed, they dry out at the cut edges and lose their shine well before serving.
• Do not assemble more than a few hours ahead. The shortcrust base softens once it is in contact with the pastry cream, and a tart assembled the day before loses its crisp bite.
• It keeps for 1 day in the fridge, loosely covered, though it is genuinely best within a few hours of assembly.

Ingredient substitutions

• Red currant jelly can be apricot jam, warmed and sieved, for a slightly sweeter glaze.
• A layer of melted chocolate brushed over the baked, cooled shell before the pastry cream goes on is a good, traditional way to waterproof the base for longer.
• Strawberries can be a mix of berries for a more colourful tart, arranged in concentric rings.
• For a lighter filling, fold 100 ml of whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream before spreading, which gives a mousseline texture.