Guava Tart Recipe
evidence of Williams’s artistry. A swipe of vanilla bean-flecked pastry cream rims each crisp pastry shell. On top, more figs and a few citrus curls. It’s tart, not too sweet, and has a myriad of textures to the last bite.
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Ingredients
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Pastry shells
Vanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière)
Guava topping and finishing
Method
Pastry shells
- 1
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Chill
Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). Chilling firms the butter and prevents shrinkage.
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Roll and blind-bake
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface roll dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut to fit six 4-inch tartlet pans (or one 9-inch tart pan) and press into pans, trimming excess. Prick bottoms lightly with a fork. Line shells with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Chill 10 minutes, then bake 12 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and bake another 6–8 minutes until golden and crisp. For a larger tart, bake 25–30 minutes total. Let cool completely on a rack.
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Vanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière)
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Whisk yolks and starch
While the milk infuses, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and slightly thickened.
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Temper and thicken
Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Return to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens to a pudding-like consistency (about 1–2 minutes). Continue whisking for 30 seconds more to cook out the starchy taste.
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Finish cream
Remove from heat. If you used a vanilla bean, remove the pod. Whisk in the cold cubed butter and salt until fully incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth and glossy. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, press plastic film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin, and chill at least 2 hours until cold and set.
Guava topping and finishing
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Prepare guava
Wash guavas, slice in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh with a spoon. For a smooth presentation, finely dice or briefly pulse the guava flesh in a food processor to break down seeds and fibers, leaving some texture. Measure about 1.5 cups prepared guava.
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Macerate
Place prepared guava in a bowl with 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir and let sit 10–15 minutes to macerate and brighten flavor.
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Make glaze
In a small saucepan, warm apricot jam with 1 tablespoon butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Strain if desired to remove any pieces. Stir in a pinch of salt. Keep warm.
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Assemble tarts
When pastry shells and pastry cream are chilled, spoon or pipe a thin even ring of vanilla pastry cream around the inner edge of each shell (about 1/4–1/3 inch thick) to create a rim. Fill the center with macerated guava, mounding slightly. If using figs, quarter them and arrange on top for contrast and texture.
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Glaze and finish
Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the fruit with warm apricot glaze to give shine and to set the fruit. Sprinkle a few lemon zest curls over each tart and finish with a few flakes of sea salt to balance sweetness.
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Serve
Chill the assembled tarts 15–20 minutes to let glaze set, then serve at cool room temperature. Keeps refrigerated up to 24 hours; pastry will soften if stored longer.