Barron says: “During spring and summer, you’ll find this classic strawberry tart in almost every pastry case in Paris. It’s a dessert that beautifully celebrates the season since the strawberries are fresh and at their peak. The diplomat cream is really just a fancy name for pastry cream with whipped cream folded in—the perfect companion to a summertime tart topped with ripe berries.”

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the pâte sablée:

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt
9 tablespoons (125g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed, plus additional for greasing
1 large egg

For the diplomat cream:

4 cups (960ml) heavy cream, cold
⅓ cup (68g) plus ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
½ cup (64g) cornstarch
5 large egg yolks
¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature

For the assembly:

5 cups (728g) fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Note: 1 whole vanilla bean is equal to 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract. Feel free to substitute in the recipe if you don’t have pods in your pantry.

Method

Make the pâte sablée

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse sand. Add the egg and use a fork to mix the dough until it just comes together and there are no dry bits left. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Remove the pâte sablée from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to roll it out. Grease and flour a 9-inch (23cm) tart pan with a removable bottom.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a large circle, about 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. Carefully roll the dough around the rolling pin, brushing off any excess flour. Unroll the dough over the prepared pan, gently tuck it into the pan, and trim any excess dough. Using a fork, poke tiny holes across the bottom of the tart shell. Return to the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights to keep the dough from puffing up during baking. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven and carefully remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Return the tart shell to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the center turns golden. Transfer the tart shell to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the diplomat cream

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine 2 cups (480ml) of the heavy cream and ⅓ cup (68g) of the granulated sugar. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the ½ vanilla bean into the pan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks, and the remaining ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar.

Once the cream has reached a gentle boil, pour half of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan set over medium heat and whisk vigorously until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter, 1 tablespoon (14g) at a time, and whisk until smooth. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form. Remove the set pastry cream from the refrigerator and fold a few spoonfuls into the freshly whipped cream with a rubber spatula. Gently fold the rest of the pastry cream into the whipped cream until smooth.

Assembly

Place the cooled tart shell on a serving platter. Spread the diplomat cream evenly inside the shell and arrange the strawberry halves, cut side down, in a circular pattern. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

From Sweet Paris: Seasonal Recipes from an American Baker in France by Frank Adrian Barron (£20, Harper Design), out now

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