Fresh strawberry tart

To prepare the fresh strawberry tart, first make the shortcrust pastry. Pour the flour into a mixer 1add the cold butter cut into small pieces 2 and operate the blades several times until you get a sandy compound. Add the icing sugar 3

the lightly beaten egg 4 and the grated rind of a lemon 5. Operate the robot again for a few moments, this time lowering the speed so the blades will mix the dough without blending 6.

As soon as the mixture is blended 7 and transfer it to the pastry board 8. Compact quickly with your hands and wrap it in transparent film 9. Then let the shortcrust pastry rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and in the meantime prepare the custard.

In a saucepan, pour the milk, cream and the vanilla pod emptied of the internal seeds 1, which will serve to flavor the egg mixture. Light the fire and bring to the boil. Separately, pour the egg yolks into a bowl, add the seeds of the vanilla pod and the sugar 11. Beat quickly with a hand whisk until a homogeneous mixture is obtained 12.

Sift the cornstarch directly into the bowl 13 and stir to incorporate the starch well 14. Now remove the vanilla pod from the pan with the milk and cream, take a ladleful of liquid and add it to the egg mixture 15 and mix with a whisk to dilute it.

At this point, pour the mixture into the pan 16let it thicken over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk 17. Continue cooking, without stopping stirring, until the cream thickens 17. Pour the cream into a baking dish and cover with cling film 18. Let it cool first at room temperature and then in the refrigerator.

Grease and flour a tart mold of 28 cm in diameter. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a disc as wide as the diameter of the pan 19roll it up on the rolling pin and unroll the shortcrust pastry on the mould 20. Eliminate the excess edges by passing the rolling pin 21.

With the tines of a fork prick the dough on the bottom then proceed with the blind cooking: cut a circle of parchment paper the same size as the bottom of the tart and place it on top, then add the ceramic weights (or legumes such as beans) 22 and cook in a preheated static oven at 180° for about 20 minutes. Then take it out of the oven to remove the weights and the baking paper 23 and bake again for 7-8 minutes. Once ready, let it cool completely. In the meantime, prepare the syrup by pouring the water into a saucepan and melting the sugar over a low heat 19.

Stir and when it starts to boil, add the filtered lemon juice and let it reduce for a few moments while the flame is on 25. Transfer the syrup to a bowl and let it cool completely. Then wash and remove the strawberry leaves, then cut them in half lengthwise 26. Now you can compose the tart: spread the custard on the now cold base and spread it evenly, so as to level the surface 27.

Then, starting from the edges, arrange the strawberries cut in half, place a whole strawberry in the centre 28 and with the other halves made concentric centers. Then brush the strawberries with the cooled syrup, do it delicately and do not pour too much 29. Once finished, place the fresh strawberry tart to cool in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours before serving, so that the pastry softens in contact with the cream and the latter hardens 30!