Turn those delicious berries into a fabulous fruit tart using our simple and quick short dough recipe. You'll be the hit of brunch, except for the Bloody Mary bar, of course.To make the dough you will need: 2 cups all purpose flour 2/3 cups powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons half & half In the bowl of a mixer combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut softened butter into pieces and add to flour. Mix on low until crumbly. Add egg yolk and half & half and mix until dough comes together. Scoop dough out and place in the bottom of a tart pan. Pat it down on the bottom and up the sides and prick the bottom with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake unfilled tart dough for 22 minutes, until barely golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
To make the pastry cream you will need: 1 cup whole milk 1/4 cup sugar 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 tablespoons unsalted butter pinch of salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup whipping cream In a small bowl, mix half of the sugar with the egg yolks. Add flour and salt and mix until light in color, about 3 minutes. In a medium saucepan combine milk and remaining sugar in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Remove from heat and slowly stir half of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly, being careful not to curdle the eggs. Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Over medium heat, stir constantly while bringing mixture back to a boil. Stir until the custard becomes very thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, cover with plastic wrap and let cool. While the custard is cooling place whipped cream in the bowl of a mixer. With the whisk attachment, whip the cold cream on medium, slowly moving up to high until the cream is thick. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard and poor into tart shell. Spread evenly with a spatula.
To make the fruit topping: 1-2 cups of berries or sliced fruit 1/4 cup apricot preserves In a small saucepan heat the preserves until they become liquid. Arrange berries on top of the pastry cream and brush the warm preserves over the top.