Elegant Berry Tart

For Pastry Dough:

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, water and vanilla extract; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg mixture and mix with a fork until the dough sticks together.

Place the dough on a work surface, shape into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Lightly flour a work surface, roll out the pastry dough into an 11-inch round or small individual rounds. Transfer dough to a 9-inch tart pan or individual tart pans. Trim excess dough so the edges are flush with the rim of the pan. Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weighs (rice or beans) and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350º F. Remove pie weights and parchment. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake until pastry is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour.

For Vanilla Pastry Cream:

Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat sugar, flour, cornstarch and egg yolks together until thick and pale, about 3 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and vanilla to a simmer. While stirring, pour half of the hot milk into the sugar mixture, stirring to blend. Pour the sugar and milk mixture into the pan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles appear on the surface. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pan frequently to prevent scorching. Pour the thickened pastry cream into a bowl; cover the surface with parchment paper. Allow to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

For Fruit Topping and Glaze:

Wash and dry the fruit. Hull strawberries and cut in half. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, warm the apricot jam until melted. Strain the jam through a fine mesh strainer to remove any fruit pieces.

Brush the bottom and sides of the baked pastry shell with a light coat of glaze (this prevents the crust from getting soggy). Let the glaze dry for about 20 minutes.

Spoon the vanilla pastry cream into the prepared crust. Arrange fresh berries on top. Reheat the apricot glaze and lightly brush glaze over the fruit.

To Serve: