Is there anything that smells better than a ripe peach? I think not. The California peach season is in full swing and this Peach Shortbread Tart is a fun and delicious change from the traditional pie.
Peach Shortbread Tart
Ingredients
For The Pastry Cream
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
For the Shortbread Crust
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened 8oz
- 2 cups all-purpose flour *
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup apricot or peach jam/jelly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 12 x 8 inch rectangle tart pan.
- Boil a quart of water and cut a small x in top of each peach. Place them in the boiling water.
- After boiling for about 2-3 minutes take them out of the water.
- From the x, peel the skin from the peaches.
- Slice peaches into 1/4 inch thick slices and set aside.
- Cream butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on high until light and airy.
- Adding the salt and flour slowly, combine until the dough comes together. Form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk until blended.
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small pot. Gradually mix in some of the milk/egg mixture and whisk until you have a thick paste. (be careful not to cook the eggs).
- Cooking over a medium heat, add the rest of the milk while stirring.
- As the mixture comes close to a boil it will start to thicken.
- Cook for 5 minutes more. The pastry cream should be thick enough to leave ribbons when dropped from a spoon. Add the vanilla and stir through.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure to press down on the wrap until it sits on top of the cream to prevent a skin forming.
- Roll out the dough large enough to fill your tart pan. Transfer the dough to the pan, pressing down and trimming any dough that is hanging over the edges.
- Bake the tart base in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until it starts to turn golden brown.
- Once the tart is golden brown, spread a generous amount of the pastry cream on it, almost level with the sides.
- Lay your sliced peaches on the cream close to one another and sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the peaches start to look a little crisp around the edges.
- Let the tart cool.
- Combine the water and jam/jelly and heat in the microwave until bubbling.
- With a pastry brush, glaze the peaches generously with the jelly.
- Best served at room temperature. Store in refrigerator
Notes
If your pastry cream should become lumpy or too thick, add a half cup of milk and whisk quickly over a medium heat until the texture improves.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
