PASTRY CREAM

• In a medium pot, heat your milk and vanilla until bubbles appear around the rim, but it’s not boiling yet
• While your milk is heating, whisk together your eggs and sugar for one minute in a heat-safe pitcher
• Add your cornstarch and flour to your egg/sugar mixture, then whisk for another minute until everything is incorporated.
• Once your milk is warmed, stream in ⅓ of the liquid into your egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat with another third, whisk, and then the final third, until all is incorporated
• Rinse your pot with cold water and wipe out any residue. Return all of the liquid from the pitcher back to the pot
• Place the pot over medium heat and use a whisk to constantly stir the mixture as it thickens. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for only one minute, stirring continuously so it evenly thickens.
• Remove the pot from the heat and drop in one cube of butter at a time, whisking each in before adding another piece. Repeat until all your butter is added
• Pour your pastry cream into a bowl and cover the surface of the cream with plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming, before placing it in the fridge for a few hours to cool completely

CRUST

• Grease your tart pans with butter, then sprinkle with flour – gently tapping the pan along the edges to cover the inside with a layer of flour – and set aside
• Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and give them a quick stir to combine
• Add in your cubed cold butter and gently stir to coat. Rub the butter through the dry ingredients between your fingers to combine until you get a fine, sand-like consistency
• Add in your beaten egg yolk and cut through the mixture with a dough scraper or spatula
• Gently compress dough to begin to bring it together into a ball, then dump the dough and any “dust” onto your work surface
• Using a smearing technique, gently smear out a few sections with a dough scraper or your hand, pushing a section out, and then scraping back together, towards the dough ball. Keep an eye on your dough, once there are no more dry spots, stop mixing
• Gently form your dough into a ball of sorts, place it between two pieces of parchment paper, and roll it into a circle about ⅛” thick
• Invert one of your tart pans onto your crust and cut a circle around it, without about 1 inch of a lip from the pan. Repeat with another tart pan, then roll and do again until you’ve got crust for all four pans
• Carefully transfer the dough into each tart pan and lightly loosen the edges of the dough so it fits into the mold. Gently press dough into the rim and bottom, making sure the dough is a consistent thickness throughout. Use a rolling pin to roll off any excess dough from the rim. Press in any thick spots remaining
• Place your tart pans lined with dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
• Preheat oven to 320°F CONVECTION
• Once the temperature is reached, remove two pans from the fridge and place them onto a cookie sheet. Use a fork to prick the bottom and sides of the dough before crinkling a bit of parchment paper and laying some into each tart pan, on top of the dough. Fill with rice/baking beans and gently even out into a flat layer
• Place into the oven on the middle rack and blind bake for 8 minutes
• Gently to avoid tearing, remove weights/beans/rice and return to oven for another 8-10 minutes or until the center of each crust is lightly golden in color. Repeat with the other two tart pans. Cool completely inside the mold
• Remove the tart from the pan by simply placing the mold over a stable circular object, smaller than the rim of the pan (for example, an inverted glass), and gently push the rim of the tin down to release. Use a knife or your fingers to remove the base of the tin from the bottom of your crust

TOPPING

• Cut the top and bottom off of your citrus fruits and then use a pairing knife, along the shape of your fruit, to cut off the skin and the pith (the white, bitter layer). Then use your knife to cut out each segment of fruit and place it on a plate. Repeat with all of your fruit
• Add your apricot jam to a pot with a splash of water and place over low heat, stirring until your jam loosens

ASSEMBLY

• Spread your chilled pastry cream evenly into each of your crusts
• Layer your citrus segments along the top of the pastry cream and brush with your apricot jam
• Enjoy!