Silky Vanilla Bean Tart (Print View)
Buttery crust meets velvety vanilla cream in this classic French tart
# What You'll Need:
→ For the 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, as needed
→ For the Silky 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
→ For Assembly
14 - Fresh berries or fruit for topping, optional
15 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
# How to Make:
01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse again. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into the pan and trim excess. Prick the base with a fork.
04 - Line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 8–10 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
05 - In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla bean (both seeds and pod) over medium heat until just simmering. Remove pod. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale and smooth.
06 - Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth.
07 - Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill until cold (at least 1 hour).
08 - Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled tart shell. Top with fresh berries or fruit, if desired. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of that buttery, snap crisp crust against the silkiness of the vanilla cream creates this incredible textural contrast that keeps people coming back for seconds
- Its surprisingly forgiving, even if youve never made pastry cream before, and the finished tart looks like something straight out of a bakery window
02 -
- I learned the hard way that pouring all the hot milk into the eggs at once will scramble them instantly, so take your time with that tempering step
- Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream prevents that unappealing skin from forming as it chills
03 -
- Brushing the cooled crust with melted white chocolate creates an extra barrier that keeps the crust crisp even hours after filling
- If you cannot find vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste is an excellent substitute that still gives you those beautiful visible specks