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  • Peach Custard Tart
    • servings: 8
    Nutritional Info

    Summary

    Tools needed: food processor, 9-inch tart pan with removeable bottom

    Ingredients

    1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 6 1/4 ounces

    1/4 cup sugar 1 3/4 ounces

    1/4 tsp salt

    4 oz unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes

    2 large egg yolks

    1 tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract

    1 tsp Nielsen-Massey almond extract

    1 tsp water plus more if needed

    2 lbs frozen peach slices, thawed NOT frozen in syrup

    1 large egg

    1/4 cup sugar

    3 tbsp all-purpose flour

    1/4 cup heavy cream

    Pinch of kosher salt

    Powdered sugar, for serving

    Instructions

    Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
    Add the cubed butter, and pulse 8 to 12 times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
    In a measuring cup, whisk together the egg yolks, extracts and water. Add to the food processor, and pulse just until the mixture starts forming large clumps. Take a small portion out of the bowl, and squeeze it. If the clump holds together, it's done. If it falls apart, add another teaspoonful of water and pulse a few times, and repeat the squeeze test. If it still doesn't hold together, add a third teaspoonful of water and repeat. 
    Once the dough holds together when squeezed, transfer it from the bowl to a sheet of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a 6-inch round, flatten, and wrap in the plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. 
    Take the dough disk out of the refrigerator. If it was chilled overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before continuing. 
    Place the dough between two pieces of waxed paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap at least 14 inches wide. Roll it into an 11-inch round, rotating it (and the paper) clockwise slightly after each roll to create an even round. Roll from the center outward and to lift the rolling pin at the edge to avoid smashing the edge into the paper, which will make removing the paper or plastic difficult. 
    As you roll, the paper or plastic wrap will get wrinkled into the dough. When this happens, peel it off, smooth out the wrinkles and lay it back on the dough. Flip the dough over and repeat, if necessary, with the top piece. Continue to roll, flipping and smoothing wrinkles as necessary, until the dough is 11 inches across and between ? and ¼ inch thick. If the dough is soft and sticky, transfer it to a baking sheet and chill it for 30 minutes. Peel off the top piece of paper or plastic. Leave the bottom piece attached. Lift the dough by the exposed paper or plastic and flip it over and center it over the tart pan as best you can, then remove the paper or plastic.
    Ease the dough across the bottom of the pan and up the sides, pressing it into the corners of the pan with your fingertips. If the dough breaks or cracks, just press it together again. Once the dough is even in the pan, fold the excess dough at the edge inward to create a double layer of dough along the wall. Press firmly with your thumbs to fuse the two layers of dough, then roll your thumb over the rim of the pan to remove any excess dough there. Save the excess dough in case a crack forms in the crust during baking. Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes before baking. 
    Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the bottom third. Lightly prick the shell all over with the tines of a fork. Line the shell with heavy-duty foil, pressing the foil firmly and smoothly into the crevices of the pan. Fill the pan with pie weights or dried black beans. Make sure the weights reach up the sides to the rim of the pan (the center does not need to be filled quite as full). Bake the shell for 20 to 22 minutes, until the foil comes away from the dough easily (if it doesn"t, bake another 5 to 6 minutes and check again). Remove the pan from the oven (hold the pan by the sides and not the bottom), and lift out the foil and weights from the shell; set them aside to cool. 
    Return the pan to the oven to continue baking the shell for about 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven, and check to see if any cracks have formed. If you see a crack, very gently smear a tiny bit of reserved dough over the crack to patch it. Return the pan to the oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the crust is a nice golden brown all over. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. 
    Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Arrange the peach slices, overlapping, in circles in the cooled tart shell. You may not need all of the slices. 
    In a small bowl, beat the egg with the 1/4 cup of sugar until thick and pale. Beat in the flour, then the cream, almond extract and salt. Pour over the peach slices.
    Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the custard is set. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool to just warm to the touch or completely to room temperature. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.