Julia Child's Fresh Strawberry Tart

It all started two or three weeks ago when Max mentioned that I don't bake that much. Unwillingly admitted the truth, however I remember I used to bake a lot when I was in my first co-op term in college (also the first time in life you realize that you don't have to study at night). I know baking can be a really slow and tedious job to most of us. But I really enjoy blending water, butter and flour by hands and making it into a cute chubby dough. I enjoy watching the pastry dough rising and changing its color under the warm oven light and smelling the whole kitchen filled with lovely sweet buttery scent. Yeah...how did I forget all that fun part of baking?.....And yes, that's how I got myself into this love-and-hate baking addiction again. Few days after the Lime Tart and the flat bread (I will post that this week), I simply forget all the trouble and get all excited to make the Julia Child's strawberry tart.

Jump to see more pictures and the recipe

PATE BRISEE SUCREE
Sweet Short Paste
(For the Pastry Shell)
      For an 8 to 9-inch shell, proportions for 1 1/2 cups flour
      For a 10 to 11-inch shell, proportions for 2 cups flour
Proportions for 1 cup flour
2/3 cup flour (scooped and leveled)
A mixing bowl
1 Tb granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
5 1/2 Tb fat ( 4 Tb chilled butter and 1 1/2 Tb chilled vegetable shortening)
2 1/2 to 3 Tb cold water

1. Place flour, salt, sugar, butter and vegetable shortening in a big mixing bowl. Rub the flour and fat together rapidly between the tips of your fingers until the fat is broken into pieces the size of oatmeal flakes.
2. Add the water and blend quickly with one hand, rapidly gather the dough into a mass. Then press the dough firmly into a roughly shaped ball. It should just hold together and be pliable, but not sticky.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured pastry board. With the heel of one hand rapidly press the pastry by two-spoonful bits down the board and away from you in a firm, quick smear of about 6 inches. This constitutes the final blending of fat and flour.
4. With a scraper or spatula, gather the dough again into a mass; knead it briefly into a fairly smooth round ball. Sprinkle it lightly with flour and wrap it in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 2 hours or over night.
5. Rolling out the dough after taking out the fridge to cover and press into the base. Press a decorative edge around the rim of the pastry with the dull edge of a knife. Prick the sides and bottom of pastry lightly with a fork.
6. To keep the sides of the pastry shell from collapsing and the bottom from puffing up, line the pastry with buttered, lightweight foil. For a fully cooked shell, bake 15-19 minutes until the shell is very lightly browned.

CREME PATISSIERE
(Custard Filling)
For about 2 1/2 cups

1 cup granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup flour
2 cups boiling milk
1 Tb butter
2 tsp vanilla extract and 2 to 3 Tb kirsch or cognac

1. Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks in a mixing bowl by a wire whip or electric beater and continue beating for 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and forms the ribbon.
2. Beat in the flour then gradually pour on the milk in a thin stream of droplets
3. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and set over moderately high beat. Stir with wire whip, reaching all over bottom of pan. Turn down to low heat until the sauce becomes lumpy and beat for another 2 - 3 minutes to cook the flour.
4. Remove from heat and beat in the butter, then the vanilla extract and liqueur and set it aside to cool

TARTE AUX FRAISES
(Fresh Strawberry Tart - cold)

A 10-inch fully baked pastry shell
1 quart large, ripe strawberries (washed, halled and dried)
1 cup red currant jelly
2 Tb granulated sugar
2 Tb kirsch or cognac
1 1/2 - 2 cups chilled crème pâtissière

1. Boil the currant jelly, sugar and liqueur in a small saucepan until last drops from spoon are sticky. Paint the interior of the shell with a thin coating of the glaze and allow to set for 5 miniutes.
2. Spread a 1/2 inch layer of crème pâtissière in the bottom of the pastry shell. Arrange a design of strawberries over the cream. Spoon or paint over them a thin coating of the glaze, and the tart is ready to serve.

As you can tell by the long recipe, this tart needs lots of patience to make which is also my weak point. Don't try to skip the step about refrigerate the pastry dough. Because I did and I got a shrunk pastry shell :)