Fruit Tart

Last week when Helen and Stu came for dinner, we ended with a custard pear tart with piles of whipped cream. yumm. I got the recipe years ago when Micah and I were browsing in a used book store. I came upon a thick French Cookbook with a the recipe, but it cost $22 --for a used book! So I memorized the recipe-- dashed out to the car and wrote it all down! The crust works for all kinds of tarts--cooked or fresh It's easy, rich and elegant...

FRUIT TART

CRUST:
1 cup flour
3 tab sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg yolk

Cut the butter into the flour, salt and sugar with a pastry blender. Mix in the egg yolk. Press the dough into a 9" (or smaller) tart pan. Bake the crust until set at 350 degrees, about 12 minutes

FILLING;
Fruit (apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, apricots, or plums...)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream (extra cream to whip and serve with the tart)
1 egg
sliced almonds

Peel and slice the fruit and arrange it beautifully on the semi-baked tart crust. Sprinkle on the brown sugar. Mix the cream and egg and pour over the fruit. Top with sliced almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until the cream and egg are set into a creamy custard. Serve warm, not hot with the whipped cream.

Notes:
No need to peel fruit with soft skins (peaches, nectrines, plums)
If you like the custard as much as I do, or for a larger tart double the cream and egg mixture
It's pretty dusted with powdered sugar before serving
Best eaten within 24 hours, doesn't keep really well

Bon Appetit!