Mary Berry Crème Pâtissière Tart

Mary Berry Crème Pâtissière Tart is made with unsalted butter, icing sugar, egg yolks, plain flour, full-fat milk, vanilla bean paste, granulated sugar, cornflour, and strawberries. This delicious Crème Pâtissière Tart recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 1 hour and 55 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 8 people.

Ingredients Needed

For the pastry:

• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter softened
• 50g/1¾oz icing sugar
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup icing sugar
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 ⅔ cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp fine salt

For the crème pâtissière:

• 300ml/½ pint full-fat milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Pinch salt
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 50g/1¾oz granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 30g/1oz unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups full-fat milk
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Pinch salt
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

To decorate:

• 500g/1lb 2oz small strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 lb 2oz small strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

How To Make Crème Pâtissière Tart

1. Make the pastry: Blitz the butter and icing sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the egg yolks and blitz until smooth. Add the flour and salt, then blitz until a dough forms. Shape into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for about 30 minutes.
2. Make the crème pâtissière: Heat the milk, vanilla paste, and salt over low heat until gently steaming. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour until smooth. Slowly whisk in the hot milk. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in the butter until melted. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming, and let cool for 10 minutes before chilling.
3. Prepare the tart: Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a circle about 30cm/12in in diameter. Line a 23cm/9in fluted tart tin with the pastry, pressing it into the edges. Trim any excess pastry and prick the base with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Blind bake: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line the tart with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are just golden. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for another 7–10 minutes until golden and crisp all over. Leave to cool.
5. Assemble the tart: Sprinkle the strawberries with caster sugar and set aside for 5 minutes until they release some juices. Stir the crème pâtissière until smooth and pour it into the cooled pastry case, spreading evenly. Decorate with the strawberries in concentric circles. Cut into slices and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Use cold butter: Ensure the unsalted butter for the pastry is cold to create a flaky texture. Avoid letting it sit out too long.
• Chill the pastry: After shaping the dough, chill it for at least 30 minutes. This helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
• Whisk gently: When mixing the egg yolks and sugar for the crème pâtissière, whisk gently to avoid introducing too much air, which can affect the texture.
• Strain the crème pâtissière: For an extra smooth filling, strain the mixture through a fine sieve after cooking to remove any lumps.
• Use ripe strawberries: Choose fresh, ripe strawberries for decorating. They should be sweet and juicy to complement the rich filling perfectly.

How To Store Leftovers?

First, let the leftover Crème Pâtissière Tart cool until it reaches room temperature. Then, cover it with cling film or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 slice (1 of 8 servings)

• Calories: 385
• Total Fat: 19g
• Saturated Fat: 11g
• Cholesterol: 173mg
• Sodium: 100mg
• Potassium: 206mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 46g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 27g
• Protein: 7g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Apple Pie Recipe
• Mary Berry Salmon En Croute
• Mary Berry Lamb Casserole
• Mary Berry Plum Tarte Tatin