Page 42 - Valley Table - Summer 2023

Last Call
The Art Of Tarts
Fern Bartlett has been whipping up plant-based and gluten-free baked goods since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2018. You can follow Fern's baking journey on Instagram @thebartlettbaker—and
we promise, the pastries are as delicious as they are colorful. This tart tastes like summer: it stars local fruit and has a sweet-but-tangy zip.
z VEGAN FRUIT TART This recipe is dedicated to
Fern's father, Daniel Bartlett.
Yields 8 servings
PATE SUCRÉE CRUST
1⁄2 cup vegan butter, softened 2⁄3 cup organic powdered
sugar (use organic to
ensure that it’s vegan) 2 Tbsp unsweetened
applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (or
gluten-free flour blend) 1⁄2 tsp salt
BROWN SUGAR PASTRY CREAM
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
2 Tbsp vegan butter
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp orange zest
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1⁄4 cup organic brown sugar 11⁄4cupoatmilk
TART TOPPING
an assortment of fresh, seasonal fruit (I used peaches, strawberries, plums, and grapefruit)
2 Tbsp apricot jam, warmed
MAKE THE PÂTÉ SUCRÉE
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar together until light and
fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add applesauce and vanilla and continue mixing for 1 minute. 2. Add flour and salt and mix just until no flour clumps remains. Shape into a disc and chill dough for 30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until
it’s about 2 inches longer in diameter than your desired tart pan. (I use an 8–10” pan with removable bottom.) Press dough evenly into corners of the pan.
4. Using a paring knife, trim
the edges of the pastry so it’s flush with the tart pan. Dock with a fork and bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow crust to cool completely.
MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM
1. In a medium mixing bowl add vanilla, vegan butter, and citrus zests. Place a fine mesh sieve over bowl. Later, you’ll be straining the cooked pastry cream into these aromatics
to ensure a silky finished product. You’ll also need to prepare a large bowl of ice water.
2. In a small saucepan (no heat), whisk together the cornstarch and sugar first
to prevent clumping, then slowly stream in oat milk while whisking. Cook this mixture over medium heat until it boils, whisking constantly. Do not let this out of your sight—it can burn easily.
3. Once pastry cream comes to a boil, continue rapidly whisking and cook while boiling for about 3 minutes, or until the starchy taste dissipates. While the pastry cream is still hot, pour it through the prepared sieve, and whisk the aromatics into the pastry cream until the butter is melted.
4. Place bowl of pastry cream over the large bowl
of ice water and continue whisking until the mixture has completely cooled. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until set. When you’re ready to use the pastry cream, quickly whip it up to reconstitute it.
ASSEMBLE THE TART
1. Carefully de-pan the cooled tart shell and fill it with your reconstituted pastry cream. 2. Decorate with fruit of choice. Before serving, brush tart with heated apricot jam.
48 TheValleyTable | June—August2023
PHOTOS BY FERN BARTLETT / @THEBARTLETTBAKER