Creme Brulee Tart

By Chez_Alexander

Creme brulee with a tart twist features smooth custard in a flaky shell with crackling burnt-sugar on top.

Each serving = 12 Weight Watchers points.

Ingredients

• TART SHELL:
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8-tablespoons) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
• CUSTARD FILLING:
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 whole large egg
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 35mins
Cooking time 255mins
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Tart shell:

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea sized lumps of butter. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir into flour until incorporated.

Gently squeeze a small handful of dough. If it doesn't hold together, add water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring with each addition. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch dish. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic, until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Roll out dough onto a floured surface with a floured pin into a 13-inch round. Fit dough into tart pan and fold overhand inward to reinforce side. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with fork, then line with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until edge is pale golden and side is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove weights and parchment and bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove tart from oven and reduce temperature to 300°F.

Filling:

While shell bakes, split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a heavy medium saucepan. Add pod to saucepan with cream and milk. Heat over medium heat until hot, then steep off heat 30 minutes.

Whisk together yolks, whole egg, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt, then whisk into cream mixture until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.

Put tart shell in a 4-sided sheet pan. Put in oven, then pour custard into shell. Bake until just set but still slightly wobbly in center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove tart and cool on rack 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool to room temperature for 1 hour or more.

Just before serving, sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over top of tart. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth just above top of tart, avoiding crust, until sugar is caramelized and slightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.