Silky Vanilla Bean Tart (Printable)
Buttery crust filled with fragrant vanilla bean cream
# What You’ll Need:
→ Tart Crust
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tablespoons ice water
→ Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
09 - 4 large egg yolks
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Assembly
14 - Fresh berries or fruit for topping
15 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# How To Make It:
01 - Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse again. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time just until dough comes together.
02 - Flatten dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into pan and trim excess. Prick base with fork.
05 - Line crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
06 - In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla bean (seeds and pod) over medium heat until just simmering. Remove pod.
07 - Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl until pale and smooth.
08 - Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling for 2-3 minutes.
09 - Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth. Transfer to bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
10 - Spread chilled pastry cream evenly into cooled tart shell. Top with fresh berries if desired. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between that shatteringly crisp crust and impossibly smooth cream stops conversation every time
- Vanilla bean paste creates those gorgeous speckled aesthetics that make people think you spent hours on technique
02 -
- The plastic wrap touching the pastry cream surface isn't optional without it, you'll end up with a rubbery skin that ruins the whole silky experience
- Room temperature eggs incorporate much more smoothly into the hot milk without scrambling, so plan ahead and take them out early
03 -
- Chill your rolling pin and tart pan in the freezer before rolling out the dough, it makes handling so much easier
- If your crust puffs up during baking, gently press it down with the back of a spoon while it's still warm