Black Currant Tart (Printer Friendly)

Delicate tart with vibrant black currant curd and a cloud of whipped cream on buttery pastry.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Black Currant Curd

07 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen black currants
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 large egg yolks
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

→ Whipped Cream Topping

14 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
15 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, mixing just until dough comes together, adding additional water as needed. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out chilled pastry on a floured surface and line a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess pastry. Prick base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes.
03 - Remove pie weights and parchment from tart shell. Return to oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely to room temperature.
04 - Combine black currants, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until berries burst and sugar dissolves, approximately 5 minutes. Puree mixture and strain through fine mesh sieve to remove skins.
05 - Whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in warm currant puree. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter pieces until smooth. Cool slightly.
06 - Pour black currant curd into cooled tart shell. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until filling is completely set.
07 - Whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon whipped cream over chilled tart immediately before serving.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • The pastry shatters like glass under your fork, buttery and golden, while the curd delivers that perfect sweet-tart punch that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but relies on basic techniques you'll master after one try, giving you that quiet confidence that comes from making something beautiful with your own hands.
02 -
  • Overworking your pastry dough is the quickest way to create something tough and dense; your hands should be cold, your movements should be quick, and the dough should look almost shaggy when it comes together—that's the sign you've done it right.
  • Cooking the curd requires patience and a gentle hand; if you turn up the heat to speed things along, the eggs will scramble and you'll end up with grainy curd that no amount of straining can fix, which I learned the hard way on my first attempt.
03 -
  • If your currant puree is very thin, simmer it gently for a few minutes before adding the eggs to reduce the moisture content slightly, ensuring your final curd has the right texture rather than becoming custard-like.
  • The whipped cream topping can be prepared up to two hours ahead if you stabilize it with a tablespoon of mascarpone cheese whisked in before the powdered sugar, which keeps it from collapsing while you're plating.
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