Patisserie Fruit Tart
Serves 6 – 8
Recipe by Adelaide
Serve this springtime tart that looks as if you selected it from a gorgeous display window of a Parisian Patisserie! This is an impressive dessert, albeit not as difficult to prepare as one might think. As the puff pastry bakes, whisk together a combination of mascarpone cheese, apricot jam and orange zest to make a quick and easy “pastry cream” without the fuss of creating and cooling a custard. Use whatever fruit is in season! Peaches would be lovely as would gooseberries, star fruit and mango. The melted apricot jam, brushed on top of the fruit, gives the tart a beautiful and alluring sheen.
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Ingredients
For the pastry and filling:
One 9-ounce package of puff pastry, defrosted (I prefer Dufour)
1 egg
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
Zest of ½ orange
1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons apricot jam, divided
Fruit:
4 – 5 strawberries, hulled and sliced thin
2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced thin
2 navel oranges
Raspberries
Blueberries
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash.
Unfold the puff pastry into one large rectangle, remove any paper and lightly brush the egg wash on one half, making a square. Fold the plain puff pastry on top of the egg wash, making a double layer. Use a pastry knife to score the interior of the dough in the shape of a rectangle, leaving a 1 inch border, as if drawing the edge of a photograph inside a picture frame. Do not cut all the way through the pastry with the knife.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown, puffed and flaky.
While the pastry bakes, whisk the mascarpone with the orange zest, sugar and 1 tablespoon of apricot jam. Reserve.
Prepare the fruit. Use a paring knife to slice off the top and bottoms of both oranges so they sit flat on a cutting board. Peel off the rind with the knife so no pith remains on the citrus. Use the knife to slice between the membranes to release segments. Discard the membranes and any seeds.
Use a paring knife to lift up the interior (photograph) and discard. Once the pastry is cool enough to touch, pull out the middle layers of uncooked dough until you’ve reached the bottom of the pastry (do not cut through). The pastry will resemble a shell and the exterior will be fully baked.
Place 3 tablespoons of apricot jam and 2 tablespoons of water in a small pot. Heat over low heat until melted together and keep warm.
Add the filling to the middle of the shell and gently use a spatula to evenly spread across the bottom of the pastry.
Decorate the top of the filling with fruit in an attractive pattern. Carefully brush the fruit with the hot apricot jam until the fruit it glistening.
