Mango tart

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Rub 100 g cold, diced unsalted butter into 180 g all-purpose flour, 60 g powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until it looks like sand, then add 36 g egg yolks and smear the dough across the counter with the heel of your hand a few times. This smearing technique blends in the butter evenly without making the dough tough, so the crust turns out crisp like a butter cookie. The dough is ready when it's an even pale yellow and comes together into a smooth mass.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Press the dough into a flat disk about two centimeters thick, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Chilled, rested dough is easier to roll, cracks less and won't shrink in the oven. It's ready when it's firm enough to roll but not brittle.

   Suggested time: about 60 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Roll the dough out about three millimeters thick on a lightly floured counter, roll it around the rolling pin and unroll it over a 22 cm tart pan, press it gently into the fluted sides and trim the edge cleanly. Rolling the dough around the pin lets you move the thin sheet without it tearing halfway. The shell is ready when it fits snugly into every flute and the trimmed edge is level with the rim of the pan.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Prick the base of the shell with a fork and put the pan in the freezer for about twenty minutes. A frozen shell keeps its fluted edges sharp when it goes into the hot oven. It's ready when it feels hard and the sides are no longer soft.

   Suggested time: about 20 minutes.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Preheat the oven to 180°C with a rack in the middle. A thin tart shell needs steady heat to bake evenly golden without burning at the edges. The oven is ready when the preheat light switches off.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Line the shell with parchment paper, fill it with dried beans or rice as pie weights and bake at 180°C for 15 to 18 minutes. The weights keep the base flat and stop the sides from slumping. The shell is ready when the edges start to turn golden and the dough no longer looks wet and shiny.

   Bake at 180°C for about 15 to 18 minutes.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes at 180°C, then let the shell cool completely in the pan. Baking it uncovered dries out and crisps the base so it can hold the cream without going soggy. The shell is ready when the base is an even golden brown and sounds crisp when tapped.

   Bake at 180°C for about 8 to 10 minutes.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Heat 300 g whole milk until steaming. Meanwhile, whisk 54 g egg yolks with 60 g superfine sugar and 25 g cornstarch, slowly pour in the hot milk, pour everything back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Then take it off the heat and stir in 20 g unsalted butter and 4 g vanilla extract. Pouring in the milk slowly warms the yolks gradually so they don't scramble into lumps. The cream is ready when it bubbles, thickens and a whisk drawn across the bottom of the pan leaves a clear trail.

   Medium heat.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Pour the cream into a shallow bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for about two hours until thoroughly chilled. Cold cream firms up, spreads easily and won't soften the tart shell. It's ready when it's evenly cold and turns smooth and silky again with a gentle whisk.

   Suggested time: about 120 minutes.

   Mark step 9 as done

10. Step 10

    Whisk the cream until soft and smooth, then spread it evenly into the cooled tart shell and level the top with a spatula. A level layer of cream lets the mango slices sit snugly without tipping over. The cream layer is ready when it's even and sits just below the rim of the shell.

    Mark step 10 as done

11. Step 11

    Peel 450 g ripe mangoes, slice the two cheeks off close to the pit, then cut them lengthwise into thin slices about two millimeters thick. Thin slices are pliable and easy to curve into petals. The slices are ready when they bend gently without breaking and have smooth edges.

    Mark step 11 as done

12. Step 12

    Arrange the mango slices overlapping in rings of petals from the edge toward the center, roll a few slices into a bud for the middle, then melt 40 g fruit jam, such as apricot, and brush it lightly over the top. The jam keeps the mango from drying out or browning and gives it an appealing shine. The tart is ready when the mango completely covers the cream, glistens and the petals are evenly arranged.

    Mark step 12 as done