Silky Vanilla Bean Tart (Printable)
Crisp buttery crust meets silky vanilla bean cream in this elegant French-inspired dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Tart Crust
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tablespoons ice water
→ Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
09 - 4 large egg yolks
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Assembly
14 - Fresh berries or fruit for topping
15 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# How To Make:
01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse again. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into the pan and trim excess. Prick the base with a fork.
04 - Line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 8–10 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
05 - In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla bean (both seeds and pod) over medium heat until just simmering. Remove pod.
06 - In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale and smooth.
07 - Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
08 - Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in butter until smooth.
09 - Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill until cold (at least 1 hour).
10 - Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled tart shell. Top with fresh berries or fruit, if desired. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between that impossibly crisp, buttery crust and the silky smooth filling is absolutely addictive
- Vanilla bean paste creates these gorgeous little specks throughout the cream that make it taste professionally made
- You can make both components ahead of time and assemble when youre ready to serve
02 -
- Never skip chilling the dough or it will shrink dramatically in the oven
- When making the pastry cream, whisk constantly and do not walk away, as it can scorch or curdle in seconds
03 -
- For an extra layer of flavor, brush the cooled tart crust with melted white chocolate before filling
- If using vanilla bean paste instead of a fresh bean, use a full tablespoon for the most intense vanilla flavor