Italian Pastry Cream Tart

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully place it into a 9-inch tart pan, pressing the pastry into the corners and trimming any excess. Prick the bottom with a fork to prevent puffing.
3. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pastry and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Let it cool completely.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Add the flour and whisk to combine.
6. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while continuously whisking to temper the eggs. Once combined, return the mixture to the saucepan.
7. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and reaches a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat.
8. Stir in the vanilla extract, butter, lemon zest, and whipping cream until smooth. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
9. Once the tart shell is cool and the pastry cream is set, spoon the cream into the tart shell and smooth the top with a spatula.
10. Refrigerate the tart for at least 1 hour before serving. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar if desired.