Strawberry tart (Tarte aux fraises)

1. Make a shortcrust from the flour, cold butter, a little sugar and one egg yolk, and put it in the fridge.

2. Roll the dough into a tart tin, prick it, blind-bake at 180 °C until golden, then let it cool.

3. Bring the milk to the boil with the split vanilla pod.

4. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and a little flour, pour in the hot milk, then cook it into a thick vanilla cream (crème pâtissière) and let it cool.

5. Fill the cooled pastry case with the vanilla cream.

6. Arrange the washed, halved strawberries decoratively on the cream and keep it chilled until serving.

Tip: The strawberry tart is the peak of summer – choose ripe, fragrant strawberries and assemble only just before serving so the pastry stays crisp. A thin apricot-jam glaze makes the strawberries glossy.