Strawberry Tarts with White Chocolate Pastry Cream ___

Strawberry Tarts with White Chocolate Pastry Cream

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 11 ounces Pan Di Stelle Cookies (see below for link)
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the White Chocolate Pastry Cream:

  • 3.75 cups whole milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup corn starch
  • 10 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of one lemon, cut into a long strip
  • 11 ounces white chocolate chips

For Decorating:

  • fresh strawberry slices
  • fresh mint leaves

Directions

Pan di Stelle Cookies

Yield: 3-6 inch tarts or 1-11 inch tart

To make the Crust:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Process the  Pan di Stelle Cookies  in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  3. Divide the mixture among the 3- 6inch loose bottomed tart pans and press the crumbs firmly up the sides. Use the flat bottom of a glass or a spoon to smoothie the bottom.
  4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool.

To make the White Chocolate Pastry Cream:

  1. In a bowl, mix the milk, heavy cream, the beaten egg yolks and the vanilla.
  2. In a pot, add all the dry ingredients and mix well.
  3. Put the pot on the stove at medium heath and add the milk mixture. With a wooden spoon start mixing continuously.
  4. Add the lemon peel and continue to stir non-stop.
  5. After about 7-8 minutes, the mix will begin to thicken and form a cream.
  6. Once it reaches the desired cream consistency, remove the pot from the flame, remove the lemon peel and stir in the white chocolate until melted.
  7. Pass the cream through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl to remove any lumps. Press plastic wrap into the entire surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature.

To assemble:

  1. Divide the cooled cream evenly among the 3 tart shells.
  2. Decorate with fresh strawberry slices and mint leaves.
  3. Chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving.