This week you will be practicing your pastry-making skills by making pâté sucrée and crème patisserie - two classic skills of the French pastry chef. Pâté sucrée is enriched sweet pastry that gives a very thin, crisp tart shell that is filled with sweet fillings. Crème patisserie (pastry cream) is thickened custard that holds its shape, and holds the weight of any decorations placed on top of it. The decoration you choose should be neat, professional and look good enough to place in a French pastry shop window. You can also glaze your tart with warmed apricot jam, if you wish.
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- Warmed apricot jam gives the tart a professional and shiny finish, although it is not essential.
- You must thicken and cool the pastry cream thick enough for it to hold the weight of the fruit.
- Cut the fruit small and uniform so that it looks professional.
- You must roll out the pâté sucrée very thin (thinner than regular shortcrust) to give a crisp shell. Ensure that it is pressed well into the corners of the tin before baking - you can trim it before or after it comes out of the oven. Blind baking ensure it stays crisp when the pastry cream is added.