Peach Tart and a happy start

So one day before my trip to celebrate New Year on a mountain, I got a bad headache and fever. A little bit depressed to always stick around the city for years and this year again. I went to sleep hoping I could wake up tomorrow at least, no more headache. 

As the new morning was much better than the night before, I thought I could have baked a fruit tart instead of buying one. Rushed to the supermarket to crab some simple ingredients for a peach tart for tonight. 

INGREDIENTS FOR PASTRY CREAM

1 1/4 cups half-and-half. For substitute, just combine milk and light cream following 50-50 to have 1 1/4 cups.

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM: Bring the half-and-half and vanilla to a boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl with a whisk. Add the flour to the yolks and mix it in well with the whisk. Pour the hot half-and-half into the yolk mixture and whisk it in. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and bring it to a boil, whisking until it thickens. Boil for 10 seconds longer, remove from the heat, cover with plastic wrap and let cool.

INGREDIENTS FOR TART DOUGH

1 1⁄4 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon  baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter,

 
   cut into 1⁄2" cubes and chilled

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 can of peach in syrup

2 tablespoons apricot preserves or jam

FOR THE TART: 

Heat oven to 375F/190C. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add 3 tablespoons butter and the shortening and, using your fingers, rub into flour mixture to form coarse pea-size pieces. Add milk and egg and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Bring dough together with your hands. Transfer dough to a 9" tart tin, using lightly floured fingers, press dough into bottom and sides; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Line the tart tin with parchment paper. Scatter over with baking beads (or dried beans or rice).  Blind bake the tart in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and bake for another 5 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and still pale. The surface of the tart should be just dry. 

Spread over the pasty cream and arrange peach wedges side by side on top of the tart like the spokes of a wheel, pushing gently into the cream as you go. Put two wedges of peach in the middle of the tart.

Bake until the crust is golden and peaches are soft, about 35 - 40 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush apricot preserves over the tart and bake for 7 to 10 minutes more. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

Happy New Year to all of us.

Cheers