Farewell Summer Peach Tart

What better way to bid Portland adieu than with a belated peach tart.  I shared this with some friends just before I left for Japan and if you're blessed with peaches in your neck of the woods, might I suggest you share it too. 

 A simple butter crust topped with pastry cream and slices of peach.  Update: Japan news coming soon...

Sweet Tart Crust
from Chocolate and Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier
1 C. + 2 T. a.p. flour
1/3 C. sugar
1/4 t. fine sea salt
7 T. chilled unsalted butter + enough to grease pan
1-2 T. cold milk

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour to form a pea-sized crumbs.  Add milk 1 T. at a time until the mixture holds together when squeezed, it should be crumbly.  Pour mixture into buttered tart pan spread evenly w/finger tips.  Place sheet of plastic wrap atop the crumbs, then use a measuring cup or a glass with a flat-bottom and straight sides to press the crumbs into the pan starting at the edge and working your way to the center.

Chill crust 20-30 min. in the freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake chilled crust for 15-20 min. until golden. Cool completely before filling.  Makes 1, 9" crust

Pastry Cream
from Epicurious 
2 1/4 C. whole milk
6 egg yolks
2/3 C. sugar
1/3 C. cornstarch
1 vanilla bean (or 1 t. vanilla extract)

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 C. milk, egg yolks, 1/3 C. sugar and all of the corn starch.  Place the remaining 1 3/4 C. of milk in a medium sauce pan, add vanilla pod (if using) sliced down the middle and seeds scraped into the milk.  Sprinkle remaining 1/3 C. sugar over the milk, letting it sink  undisturbed to the bottom.  Place the milk/sugar mixture on moderate heat and bring to simmer without stirring. Remove from heat.   Whisk the hot milk gradually into the egg yolk mixture, (if you're using  vanilla extract add it here.) Return to heat, whisking constantly, cook on medium-high heat, until the cream simmers and thickens, approx. 1 min.  Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, whisk until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl to cool. Press plastic wrap to surface of cream and cool completely before using.  Chill 4 hours-3 days.  Makes 3 cups.

To assemble the tart.  Fill cooled crust with a layer 1/2" of pastry cream (about 1-1 1/2 C.) Top with peach slices, beginning from the perimeter finishing with a central spiral.  If you want to peel the peaches, by placing them whole in large pot of boiling water for 15-30 seconds.  Cool peaches immediately in ice water.  The peels should come right off and slice.  Hint: to keep the peaches from browning after they're peeled squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the ice water bath.