Free Form Fruit Tart

* Exported from MasterCook *

Free Form Fruit Tart

Recipe By : Cooking Live Show #CL8935
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cooking Live Import

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
dough:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose -- bleached flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
7 tablespoons cold -- unsalted butter
-- (one stick minus 1
-- tablespoon)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
easy pastry cream:
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose bleached flour
1 pinch salt
3/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter
2 teaspoons orange liqueur or kirsch

To make the tart dough:

To mix the dough in the food processor, place flour, sugar, salt and
baking powder in work bowl fitted with metal blade. Pulse 3 or 4 times
to mix. Cut butter into 7 or 8 pieces and add to work bowl. Pulse
about 12 to 15 times, until mixture is reduced to a fine powder, do
not allow to become pasty. Add egg and continue to pulse until dough
forms a ball. Remove dough from work bowl to lightly floured work
surface and pat dough into a 5-inch disk. Use immediately, or wrap in
plastic and chill until firm before using.

To make a free-form tart crust, roll dough to a 12-inch disk and
transfer it to a parchment or foil-lined cookie sheet or the back of a
jelly-roll pan. Using a plate or cardboard disk as a pattern, trim the
dough to an even 12-inch diameter. Fold under about 1/2-inch of dough
at the edge of the disk of dough, then flute the edge as if it were a
pie, to make the edge stand up (use the thumb and index finger of one
hand on the outside of the tart shell and the index finger of the
other hand on the inside and pinch gently from the outside while
pressing lightly from the inside) repeat all around the edge of the
crust. Pierce the dough with a fork before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the middle level. Place
pan in oven and lower heat to 350 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes,
checking once or twice. When baked, remove pan

from oven to a rack to cool.

To make the easy pastry cream:

Combine sugar, flour and salt in a 1 to 1 1/2 quart non-reactive
saucepan. Stir with a small whisk to mix. Whisk in milk, then egg and
yolk. Place over low heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream
thickens and comes to a boil. Allow to boil 10 or 15 seconds, whisking
constantly. Remove from heat whisk in vanilla and butter. Scrape the
pastry cream into a non-reactive bowl and press plastic wrap against
the surface. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Immediately before
using pastry cream, stir in optional liqueur.

Filling the shell:

Fruit: Any fruit normally served uncooked will be perfect in this type
of a tart. Try to avoid apples, pears, bananas, peaches and apricots
because they discolor, even when glazed. Best fruits to use and how to
pare them:

Strawberries: rinse, hull and halve.

Raspberries: pick over just before using.

Blueberries: rinse and dry on pan lined with paper towels.

Blackberries, etc: rinse and dry on pan lined with paper towels.

Kiwi: peel, halve and slice.

Orange: peel, halve and slice.

Seedless grapes: Stem, rise and halve if large.

Mango or Papaya: peel, seed, slice.

First, spread pastry cream evenly on bottom of crust. Arrange fruit in
overlapping concentric rows, beginning at outside and working in
toward center.

For a "fruit salad" tart, toss fruit in a bowl (add a drop of Kirsch,
if you wish), then pile fruit in on pastry cream in tart shell. You'll
need about 6 cups of fruit for a 10-inch tart shell.

Glazes: Combine 1/2 cup apple jelly, 1/2 cup apricot preserves and 1
tablespoon water or liqueur in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer,
stirring often. Strain into another pan and return to a boil. Allow to
cool for 5 minutes, then gently brush on fruit. If you strain the
glaze carefully, you may also use a small spay bottle to apply it. If
tart is mostly red fruit, use currant jelly and strawberry or
raspberry preserves.

Toasted Sliced Almonds: Edge the crust with these. Toast almonds at
350 degrees on a jelly roll pan, stirring often. Cool and sprinkle on
fruit at edge of tart. Dust almonds lightly with confectioners' sugar.

Pistachios: Bring pistachios to a boil in a large pan of water. Drain
and rub in a towel to loosen skins. Separate pistachios from skins.
Dry blanched pistachios 5 minutes at 325 degrees, being

careful they do not color. Chop coarsely and sprinkle on fruit at edge
of crust. DO NOT dust with confectioners' sugar.

Confectioners' Sugar: If fruit is not glazed, dust heavily with
confectioners' sugar immediately before serving.




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