Black Currant Fruit Tart (Print Version)

Crisp buttery crust filled with luscious black currant curd and topped with fresh berries for an elegant French dessert.

# Components:

→ 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 - 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Black Currant Curd

07 - 1 cup fresh or frozen black currants
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 large egg yolk
12 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

→ Assembly

13 - 1/2 cup fresh black currants or mixed berries such as raspberries, blueberries, or red currants
14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Fresh mint leaves for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water, then pulse until dough just comes together, adding more water only as needed.
02 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press dough into pan, trim edges, prick base with a fork, and chill for 10 minutes.
04 - Line tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes more until golden brown. Cool completely.
05 - In a saucepan, combine black currants, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes until fruit softens and bursts. Purée the mixture and strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove skins and seeds.
06 - Return strained purée to saucepan. Whisk in eggs and egg yolk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 7 to 10 minutes until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil.
07 - Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth and fully incorporated. Pour curd into a bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until slightly set, approximately 30 minutes.
08 - Spread cooled black currant curd evenly into the cooled tart shell. Arrange fresh berries on top in an attractive pattern. Refrigerate tart for at least 1 hour before serving.
09 - Dust tart with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The buttery crust shatters in your mouth in the most satisfying way, and honestly, people will think you've been baking French pastries your whole life.
  • Black currant curd is tangy and sophisticated without being pretentious—it tastes like you're eating something refined but it's actually just fruit, sugar, and butter having a conversation.
  • It looks absolutely stunning on a dessert table, and that matters more than we admit.
02 -
  • The eggs in the curd must be cooked slowly and carefully—if you rush it or use too high a heat, they'll scramble and you'll have little flecks throughout instead of a smooth custard, which I learned the hard way my second attempt.
  • Don't skip the chilling time for the dough or the blind baking; shortcuts here result in a crust that's tough or soggy instead of that ideal shattering crispness.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen thermometer if you have one when making the curd—you want it to reach about 160 degrees to safely pasteurize the eggs without overcooking the mixture.
  • Keep the butter cold until the last moment when you add it to the curd; if it's too warm, you'll end up with a broken, greasy texture instead of something silky and smooth.
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