Strawberry Custard Tart

Strawberry season is finally here, and there’s no better way to enjoy it than with a homemade strawberry custard tart. Bursting with sweet, juicy strawberries and paired with a homemade strawberry jam and silky smooth vanilla custard, this easy tart recipe is the perfect dessert to make the most of fresh strawberries. Whether you’re baking for a summer picnic or a cozy weekend treat, this strawberry tart will be a showstopper.

Preparation Time 1 hour

Chill Time 2 hours

Cook Time 1 hour

Yields 1x 9 inch Tart

Ingredients 

Crust 

1 cup butter- cold and cubed 

2 1/2 cup flour 

1 tablespoon sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

2 tablespoons ice water 

Custard 

400 ml milk 

4 tablespoons sugar 

4 tablespoons vanilla custard powder 

1/2 cup strawberry jam (find my recipe here)

2 cups strawberries- sliced 

1 tablespoon apricot jam- mixed with 1 tablespoon water and heated in the microwave for 20 seconds. 

Instructions 

1. For the crust: pulse the butter, flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse until crumbly. Add the ice water and pulse until the mixture begins to just come together. Do not over mix the crust mixture, otherwise it will end up tough instead of tart. 

2. Turn the crust mixture out onto a clingfilm lined counter. Bring the mixture together and press it into a disc. Do not knead it, just bring it together. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour. 

3. After chilling the dough, remove it from the fridge and remove from the clingfilm. Place the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into a 12 inch circle. It should be the thickness of a 1 pound coin. Remove the top layer of the parchment paper. Press the crust into the 9 inch tart pan with a removable base. Cut the excess pastry away. Prick the base with a fork, then chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for an hour. 

4. Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180c. Place the base on a baking sheet and then place a layer of parchment paper over the dough. Top with baking beans and blind bake the base at 180c for 10-15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and parchment paper, then bake for a further 5-10 minutes until golden. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely. 

5. While the base cools, let’s make the custard. Heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan until it simmers. Add the custard powder, mix well and cook it on a low heat until thickened. Remove it from the heat, pour the custard into a heatproof bowl. Top the custard with a layer of clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge until completely cold. 

6. When you are ready to assemble the tart, spread the jam over the base of the tart. Top with the custard and level it off. 

7. Arrange the strawberry slices in concentric circles over the custard. Brush the strawberries with the apricot glaze. 

8. Chill the tart for a couple hours before serving