Fresh Fruit and Cream Tarts

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare Rich Tart Pastry through Step 1; divide pastry into eight portions. On a floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten each portion. Roll pastry portions from center to edge into 5-inch circles. Transfer each pastry circle to a 4-inch tart pan that has a removable side. Press pastry into fluted sides of tart pans; trim edges. Prick bottoms and sides of pastry shells. Line pastry shells with a double thickness of foil. Place on a large baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes more or until pastry shells are golden. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Meanwhile, prepare and chill Pastry Cream. To serve, divide the chilled Pastry Cream among the baked pastry shells. Arrange fresh fruit on top of each tart.* Remove sides of tart pans.

Pastry Cream

1. In a medium heavy saucepan stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in half-and-half or light cream. If desired, add vanilla bean, split lengthwise. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Gradually stir half of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all of the egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove vanilla bean. Strain into a bowl. If not using vanilla bean, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Place bowl of Pastry Cream in a bowl of ice water; chill for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill about 4 hours or until cold; do not stir.

Rich Tart Pastry

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until pieces are pea-size. In a small bowl stir together egg yolks and the ice water. Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture. Using your fingers, gently knead the dough just until a ball forms. Cover pastry with plastic wrap and chill for 30 to 60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.

2. On a floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten the pastry. Roll pastry from center to edge into a 12-inch circle.

3. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll it into a 10-inch tart pan that has a removable side. Ease pastry into pan without stretching it. Press pastry into fluted side of tart pan; trim edges. Do not prick pastry. Fill and bake pastry as directed in recipes.

*Tip:

Tarts can be assembled and chilled up to 4 hours before serving.

Whole Fresh Fruit and Cream Tart:

Prepare Rich Tart Pastry as above except roll out Rich Tart Pastry and transfer pastry circle to a 10-inch tart pan that has a removable side. Press pastry into fluted side of tart pan and trim edge. Do not prick pastry. Bake and cool as above. To serve, fill cooled pastry shell with Pastry Cream and top with fruit. Makes 8 slices.