Want to be a tart pro? Already love tarts? Read this.
Frédéric Anton and Christelle Brua’s new cookbook with Chihiro Masui is not only an edible and literary delight, but one of the most visually stunning publications we’ve seen this year. Tarts: Classic and Contemporary, Sweet and Savory, sheds light on the classic French pastry. As long as there are flour, eggs, milk, and salt in your kitchen, you can create a sweet or savory tart with whatever fillings you have on hand.
The book begins with a brief history of the tart, referencing the great Auguste Escoffier and moving on to question the pizza when it comes to the world of tarts. From there, the book moves on to its first chapter of savory tarts that runs for 96 delicious pages. Keep flipping and find yourself headfirst, mouth open, staring hard at the luscious 165 pages of sweet tarts that pass before your eyes. Trust us, the photography ensures that we are never bored.
Perhaps the most important chapter, Doughs, concludes the cookbook. From pizza and bread doughs, to sweet shortbread crusts, linzer doughs, and puff pastry, the final chapter includes all you need to know to create the perfect base for your pastry.
Our favorite part of this book is that it appeals to the expert bakers and novice home cooks alike. If you’re looking to add to your cookbook collection and spruce up your tart skills, this is the book for you. If you’re looking to bring someone with an interest in baking right into the beautiful wold of tarts, start here.
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Sweet Pastry Dough (see page 278)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (for rolling out the dough)
Bergamot Cream
- 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
- 4 bergamots
- 6 tablespoons ¾ stick butter
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons custard powder
- 3 drops bergamot essential oil
Meringue
- 5 egg whites l
- 1 cup superfine sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320° F. On a floured work surface, roll out the Sweet Pastry Dough to d-inch thick with a rolling pin. Place the dough in a tart ring. Crimp the edges. Dock the crust by lightly pricking it all over with a fork. Chill the prepared dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Pre-bake this tart base for 8 minutes, then increase the oven temperature to 340° F and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Make the bergamot cream. Soften the gelatin in the juice of half a bergamot. Bring the rest of the bergamot juice to a boil. Add the butter to melt it. Using a whisk or hand-mixer, beat the eggs, the sugar, and the custard powder together until light and fluffy. Drizzle some of the heated bergamot juice into this mixture, mixing continuously, to temper. When the bowl is warm, add this mixture back to the pot and continue stirring to combine. When the mixture has thickened, add the gelatin. Cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add the bergamot essential oil. Strain the cream through a chinois. Make the meringue. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a metal bowl. Beat with a stand mixer or hand-mixer until stiff peaks form. In a saucepan, heat the sugar with 7 tablespoons of water to 340° F; use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. Pour this hot syrup over the egg whites and continue beating until the mixture cools. Set aside. Spread the bergamot cream into the cooled tart shell. Set aside to cool completely. Using a spatula, spread the meringue over the cream. Use a kitchen blowtorch to lightly caramelize the surface of the meringue. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
