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Summer fruit tart

Time 1 hour, plus chilling and freezing time
Yields Serves 8
Summer fruit tart
(Los Angeles Times)
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1

For the crust, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and lime zest in bowl. Cut the butter into half-inch slices and add to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, a pastry blender or two knives, work the butter into the flour to make a fine crumbly mixture that starts to hold together. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cold water and toss until dough hangs together. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.

2

Unwrap the dough and press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (If the dough gets too soft to handle, return it in the pan to the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.) Place the dough-lined pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

3

While the dough freezes, combine the milk, cream and 4 tablespoons sugar in a heavy saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cornstarch.

4

Bring the milk mixture just to a boil over medium heat. Ladle about one-third into the egg yolks and whisk until smooth, then beat the egg mixture into the milk mixture in the pan, whisking until it thickens and just comes to a boil, about 1 minute.

5

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and lay plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Chill until completely cold.

6

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

7

Rinse the berries and hull if necessary. Pat completely dry.

8

Scrape the pastry cream into the cooled tart shell and smooth the surface. Carefully arrange berries on top, in alternating rings if using more than one variety.

9

Bring the lime marmalade to a simmer in a small saucepan and heat until melted. Brush lightly over the berries. Chill the tart at least 1 hour but no more than 4 before removing the ring from the pan and cutting the tart into wedges to serve.

Currant jelly may be substituted for lime marmalade.