Description
Delightful strawberry honey custard tarts showcase summer’s sweet essence with creamy layers of homemade lemon curd. French-inspired pastry delivers rich flavors and elegant presentation for special gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 eggs (total across recipes)
- 1 ¾ cups flour (437.5 grams)
- 2 cups strawberries, sliced (300 grams)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsps sugar
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ½ cup butter, chilled and cubed (113 grams)
- 6 tbsps unsalted butter, cubed (85 grams)
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (in crust)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (in filling)
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- Pinch of coarse salt
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsps cold water
Instructions
- Crust Preparation: Blend flour, sea salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl, then integrate chilled butter using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add vanilla extract and cold water, folding gently to form a cohesive dough.
- Crust Shaping and Chilling: Press the dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan, ensuring uniform coverage. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance structural integrity.
- Initial Baking: Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat to 375°F. Bake the chilled crust for 20 minutes until golden-brown and crisp, then cool completely at room temperature.
- Custard Creation: Whisk vanilla yogurt, honey, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth and well-combined.
- Tart Assembly and Baking: Pour the custard mixture over the cooled crust, arranging thinly sliced strawberries in an attractive pattern. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the custard sets with a slight jiggle.
- Lemon Curd Preparation: Combine eggs, lemon juice, sugar, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, continuously whisking and incorporating butter until the mixture thickens. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and cool to room temperature.
- Final Assembly and Chilling: Spread the lemon curd generously over the cooled strawberry custard surface. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours to allow layers to set and flavors to meld.
- Serving: Optionally garnish with additional strawberry slices or a light dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the tart crust for 30 minutes to prevent shrinkage and ensure a flaky, crisp texture during baking.
- Temper the Custard: Whisk ingredients thoroughly to create a smooth, lump-free custard that sets perfectly without scrambling.
- Watch the Baking Time: Keep a close eye on the tart during the final baking stage to achieve a perfectly set custard with a gentle wobble.
- Strain the Lemon Curd: Use a fine-mesh sieve to remove any potential egg bits, creating a silky-smooth, restaurant-quality lemon curd.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg