Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Fresh Fruit Tart


Wow, time to post again already?!! (Methinks I'm having a hard time keeping up these days.)

Coming in just under the wire, here is my entry for the monthly You Want Pies With That? blogging event. For July we were charged with coming up with a "Taste of Summer" pie. Thanks to Rebecca at Ezra Pound Cake and Mary at alpineberry for this totally appropriate theme.

Our pie was to answer the question, "What does summer mean to you?" Whew! when I was thinking of what pie to make, I wondered how to wrap all of the following up into a pie:

- enjoying being able to sleep in a little
- wondering how to keep the kids far, far away from the dreaded "I'm booooored"
- my own efforts at trying to mimic our old family friends and their completely awesome strawberry patch
- appreciation of days at the perfect temperature
- irritation at days that are much higher than the perfect temperature
- hiking, play dates, playground visits, swimming lessons, sunburns, baseball.


OK, that's a tall order and one my pea-brain is not equipped to handle. So, taking the easy way out, I settled on the strawberry patch, added a few other fruits for variety, and went the route of "I don't feel like thinking too hard".

This is a perfect "no-recipe" type of recipe, or at least one that you can whip up as long as you've got the Internet and/or a few good cookbooks.

First, you search for "sweet pastry" or "pate sucre(e)" and make a batch of that. Blind bake as directed, or if there are no baking instructions, use 400 degrees and start checking at around 15 minutes in. You're going for "golden brown".


Next, search for "pastry cream" and make that. Chill until set, probably at least 4 hours. Then spread a healthy layer in your cool tart shell.


Next up, a layer of jam that compliments your fresh fruit. Stir it well to loosen it up and then spread on top of the pastry cream. I went thin with the jam, but it's up to you.



Last step, start sprinkling on your fresh fruit. Mix it up or go with one type.




Keep going until it looks right.


You can brush the fruit with apricot jam thinned with a tiny bit of water, or just warmed a bit, if you want. Or not. The jam adds a shiny, glossy look. (I skipped the jam glaze.)

And voila! A fairly simple and totally delicious summer tart... and you can change up the fruit to suit the season and your tastes.

Here are the recipes I used...

Pate Sucre recipe - click here... I would add slightly more than 2 Tbsp. cream next time as the crust was dry upon mixing and crumbly once baked.

Pastry Cream recipe - click here - I would chill overnight next time.

(Whew! made it by midnight!) OK, signing off for now, folks! Thanks for stopping by :)

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, yum. I want it. Your tart screams summer.

Snooky doodle said...

This looks so nice and summery. I ve never made a fruit tart but I d like to and following your instructions it looks easy enough

Madam Chow said...

Definitely a summer tart. I really like the idea of spreading some jam on top of the pastry cream, and I'm going to use it in the future.

Debbie said...

The berries look "artfully" placed. What a beautiful presentation. It's been just since I joined this group that I have been making tarts ... was always a bit intimidated by them.

Nichicakes said...

beautiful and perfectly summery

grace said...

what an elegant tart! indeed, this seems to be the perfect depiction of a summer treat. now if only the weather here would cooperate. :)

Sara said...

Mmmmmm, this looks absolutely AMAZING. I love the idea of fresh fruit rather than cooked in a pie! Yum. :)

Anna said...

As soon as summer comes along I get the urge to put every piece of fresh fruit I see in a pastry case - but they're rarely this perfect-looking, haha. Gorgeous!

Justine said...

A wonderful way to make use of summer fruits!

Anne said...

Wow, that's my very favorite kind of pie. Berries, pastry cream, how bad can that be? (As Ina would say!)

Jen H said...

I grew up on summer berry tarts, although I don't know that any looked as perfect as yours. Good job!

Amy of Sing For Your Supper said...

This looks absolutely perfect! So summery!

-Amy
www.singforyoursupperblog.com

Alpineberry Mary said...

Lovely! A delicious use of summer berries.

NKP said...

It's perfect! Just lovely.

jane of many trades said...

i love the combination of berries and pastry cream, almost more than chocolate! the tart looks wonderful.

Jude said...

If only my pie crusts turned out like that every time. It remains my occasional source of grief :(

Kate said...

Looks beautiful! I try to eat as many strawberries and blueberries when they are at their best!

vibi said...

Beautifully done, Jacque!

Those colours are amazing! Very appropriate for the season!

Laurie said...

Your tart looks lovely.. the star of the show definitely!!

Dewi said...

Delicious and perfect summer tart!

Unknown said...

Yummy. Wish I had a piece NOW!