Grandfather's Tart

The “Grandfather’s Tart” is a variation of the classic tart that usually includes custard cream and maybe some fruit. The recipe I offer can be personalized with your favorite ingredients, like adding cocoa to the custard or candied fruit. Here’s a basic recipe for a rich and tasty tart.

Ingredients

• 300 g of all-purpose flour
• 150 g of cold butter, cubed
• 150 g of sugar
• 3 yolks
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or seeds of 1 vanilla bean

For the custard cream:

• 500 ml of whole milk
• 4 yolks
• 100 g of sugar
• 40 g of all-purpose flour or cornstarch
• Zest of 1 lemon or 1 vanilla bean

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: in a bowl, combine the flour and butter, working them together until the mixture becomes sandy.
2. Add the sugar, yolks, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Knead quickly until you obtain a homogenous dough ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the custard cream: heat the milk with the lemon zest or vanilla in a saucepan until it almost boils.
4. In another bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until frothy, then mix in the flour or cornstarch.
5. Gradually pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
6. Transfer everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the cream thickens.
7. Remove the cream from the heat, transfer it to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely.
8. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a buttered and floured tart pan, creating a high edge. Prick the base with the tines of a fork to prevent it from puffing up during cooking.
9. Pour the cooled custard cream onto the pastry base and level it.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crispy.
11. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Curiosity

According to tradition, the grandfather’s tart could also include layers of jam or pieces of dried fruit, such as hazelnuts or almonds, to add crunchiness and flavor.

As you can see, the recipe is quite versatile and leaves you room to personalize your grandfather’s tart to your taste. Enjoy your meal!