Refined Sugar-Free Berry Cream Tart
Rich and indulgent, this refined sugar-free berry cream tart features a lactose-free crème pâtissière topped with the bright flavors of summer berries.
Ingredients
For the crème pâtissière
- 2 cups lactose-free whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the pastry
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter (cubed)
- 1 large egg
- 2 TBSP lactose-free milk
For the decoration
- 2 cups mixed berries
Instructions
Make the crème pâtissière
- In a medium saucepan, start slowly warming the milk over medium heat until steaming, but not boiling
- In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks, maple syrup, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract, whisking until completely smooth.
- When the milk is steaming but not boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and ladle half of the milk into a liquid measuring cup for ease of pouring.
- Temper the eggs by SLOWLY pouring half of the steaming milk into the egg mixture while constantly whisking.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens and starts to boil (large bubbles will form on the surface).
- When the mixture has started to boil, whisk for one additional minute, then immediately remove from the heat and pass through a fine mesh sieve.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the crème pâtissière to prevent a skin from forming and place in the fridge for two hours or until completely cool.
Prep the pastry
- In a food processor, pulse together flour and salt.
- Add chilled cubed butter and pulse until the butter is broken up into pea-sized pieces or smaller.
- Add egg and milk and pulse approximately 25 times or until the dough starts to come together.
- Turn out the mixture onto the counter and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Bake the pastry
- Removed the chilled pastry from the refrigerator and flour your work surface.
- Roll the pastry out into an approximately 11-inch circle.
- Transfer the pastry to a 9-inch tart tin, pressing the pastry firmly into the corners and edges without stretching the dough.
- Trim excess pastry to a half-inch overhang, then fold the over hang back inside the tart tin, pressing firmly into the fluted edge.
- Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork and add pie weights.
- Place pastry in the frezer for 15-20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Transfer frozen tart shell directly into the preheated oven. Bake for 22 minutes with weights, then 15 minutes without or until the bottom is dry and golden brown.
- Cool completely before assembling.
Assemble the tart
- Remove chilled crème pâtissière from the refrigerator and whisk to smooth out the texture. (It's normal for it to go a bit rubbery in the fridge as it cools!)
- Pour whisked crème pâtissière into cool tart shell and smooth the surface with an offset spatula.
- Arrange mixed berries on top, and enjoy!