Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 0.25 cup apricot preserves
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor or whisk by hand.
  2. Incorporate cold butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse sand.
  3. Add the egg and cream, mixing just until the dough clumps together without overworking.
  4. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness, fit into a 9-inch tart pan, and freeze for 15 minutes.
  6. Line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights; blind-bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, then remove weights and bake for another 10 minutes until golden.
  7. Prepare the Crème Pâtissière by heating milk and vanilla, tempering into a mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch, then cooking until thick.
  8. Stir softened butter into the hot pastry cream and let it cool completely.
  9. Fill the cooled tart shell with the pastry cream and arrange halved strawberries on top.
  10. Warm apricot preserves with lemon juice and brush over the strawberries for a high-gloss finish.