Split and scrape the seeds from half a vanilla bean pod. Save the pod for another use or throw it in!
Heat the milk, sugar and vanilla beans in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
Blanchir (whisk) the eggs and yolks in a bowl with cornstarch. Next, add the milk to the whisked eggs with a process called ‘tempering’. Temper your milk into the eggs by slowly adding the hot milk mixture while whisking. This allows the eggs to come up to the temperature of the milk without cooking them.
Return the newly tempered mixture to the pot and turn the heat to medium. Whisk until it begins to thicken. Boil this mixture for 1 minute while constantly whisking.
Pour out your newly made pastry cream onto a plastic-wrap lined baking pan. Cover it with another sheet of plastic wrap, poke holes in the top, and cool it completely. You can store it for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Assemble the tart base:
If your puff pastry is frozen, allow it to warm up by placing it on the counter. You want it only warm enough to lay flat and be pliable. It should still be cold. Always keep your puff cold while you are working with it to preserve the layers!
Using a ruler or a pizza cutter, cut the base of your pastry. It really isn’t important what size you make it.The one I made in the picture is 4x6 inches for reference, but you could make tiny tartlets if you like or large ones. Be sure you have enough puff pastry to cut strips for the 2cm-wide walls.
Next, cut the strips to place on top to create a little puff pastry boat which will hold the filling. Cut 4 individual strips of puff about 2cm wide, one for each side.
Using a pastry brush or your fingers, adhere the strips to the top of the base with egg wash like a border. Egg wash is just one beaten egg, nothing fancy! You can also use half the egg left over from the pastry cream.
Chill and bake the puff pastry:
Dock your dough by using a fork to poke holes in the puff pastry base. This ensures it rises evenly by giving the steam specific exit-points
Chill the dough completely, which will take at least 45 minutes.
After chilling the dough, quickly brush the top edge of the border with egg wash or a little water. Be careful that the egg wash or water doesn’t drip down the edges of the puff pastry, which would glue the layers together. {If these layers glue together, your puff pastry won’t puff!} Sprinkle the top with raw sugar.
Chill again if necessary. If your puff no longer feels cold to the touch and has softened, pop it back in the fridge for a little bit longer!
Preheat the oven to 375°F convection. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with nonstick spray and placing a piece of parchment paper on top. Bake your puff pastry boat on the prepared sheet for 12-20 minutes. The bake-time will depend on the size of the tart. You want your pastry edges to be golden brown, and your puff pastry layers visible on the sides.
Allow the tart to cool completely.
Assemble the tart:
Refresh your pastry cream by beating it again in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or by hand with a rubber spatula. This is when you would mix the bourbon in to taste. You want to beat the pastry cream until it is smooth and more easily spreadable.
Dollop some of the pastry cream into your completely cooled tart shell. Spread the cream with an offset spatula until it covers the whole base of the tart and comes just below the top of the sides. You don’t want to overfill it or when you add the fruit, the cream will squish out.
Cut and arrange the fruit however you like! I chose to arrange it more daintily, but a towering pile of mixed berries would also be beautiful. Use the berries you like the best, or any fruit that is in season!
Refrigerate before serving. It is best served the day it is assembled!
Video
Notes
Technique - I use a simple egg wash to adhere my pieces of puff to one another in order to make a perfect puff pastry boat!Storage - This tart is best consumed the day it is made. If needed, it's best to store the components separately!