Strawberry Tart

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt.
2. Add cold unsalted butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
3. Add the egg yolk and ice water and gently mix just until the dough starts to come together. Avoid overworking.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead once or twice to bring it together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, about 1/8 inch thick.
6. Press dough into the tart pan, trim edges, and prick the bottom with a fork. Refrigerate the tart shell for 15 minutes to prevent shrinking.
7. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake an additional 10 minutes until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
8. To make vanilla pastry cream: Pour whole milk and scraped vanilla bean seeds along with the pod into a saucepan and heat over medium until just boiling. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla pod.
9. In a bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly temper the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then return all to the saucepan.
10. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches about 175°F (79°C). Transfer to a bowl, stir in vanilla extract, and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Chill for at least 1 hour until set.
11. Once pastry cream and tart shell are chilled, fill the shell with the pastry cream and smooth the top.
12. Arrange halved fresh strawberries evenly on the cream, cut side down or angled.
13. Brush strawberries gently with warmed apricot jam to glaze and add shine.
14. Refrigerate the tart until ready to serve.