Sweet Tarts!

OK Folks. It's time to get decadent. If you've got a sweet tooth, this one's for you. A tart is a pastry crust with either a sweet or savory filling. It differs from a pie in that it is not as deep and does not contain a top crust.

There are also miniature tarts, called tartlets. First we will make a flaky dough, what the French call pate brisee. This dough can be used for a variety of tarts, pies, and other desserts.

Then we will make pastry cream, (creme patissiere), the lavishly rich cream found in éclairs, Napoleons, cream puffs, etc. After baking the crust and filling it with the cream, we will top it with fresh fruit. Then we will indulge in gastronomic ecstasy.

THE DOUGH

Six oz. all-purpose flour (Use a scale, not a measuring cup. Ounces are a measure of weight. A measuring cup measures volume. The two are not the same). One teaspoon sugar Pinch of salt Pinch of baking powder Six tablespoons, (three oz.) unsalted butter Three tablespoons, (one and a half oz.) water

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut the butter into small pieces and then mix it into the flour by hand. Use your fingers to break up the butter pieces further and incorporate them into the flour.

Mix in the water until the dough comes together. Scrape the dough out of the bowl, shape it into a cylinder, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for one hour.

THE CREAM

One and a half oz., (3 tablespoons) cornstarch One pint milk Four oz., (half cup) sugar Two whole eggs and three egg yolks Two oz. unsalted butter Two teaspoons vanilla extract

Whisk the cornstarch in a little bit of the milk. Combine the rest of the milk with the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the cornstarch. SLOWLY pour about a third of the boiled milk into the egg/cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly.

Now take that mixture and slowly pour it back into the remaining milk in the saucepan whisking constantly. Turn the heat back on, don't stop whisking, and cook until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.

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