Fresh, juicy peaches are one of our all-time favorite fruits, and when paired with lemon verbena custard in a shortbread pastry shell, they turn into one of our all-time favorite desserts. This peach lemon verbena fruit tart starts with a simple, sweet tart crust that’s baked until golden. It’s then filled with a lemon verbena-infused custard, topped with fresh sliced peaches, and brushed with an apricot glaze. This dessert is fruity, slightly floral, light, and refreshing – the perfect summer fruit tart.
Tips for the Best Peach Lemon Verbena Fruit Tart:
Chill the Tart Dough: Make sure the tart dough is properly chilled before rolling it out. Chilling helps the dough retain its shape and prevents shrinking during baking.
Steep the Milk: When making the lemon verbena pastry cream, be sure to steep the lemon verbena leaves in the milk. This step infuses the milk with lemon verbena flavor.
Prevent a Skin on the Cream: To prevent the pastry cream from forming a skin while cooling, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream.
Keep the Peaches from Browning: For a shiny finish, brush the top of the tart with heated and strained apricot jam after adding the peaches.
Peach Lemon Verbena Fruit Tart FAQ
Can I make the sweet tart dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the tart dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before using.
Can I use dried lemon verbena instead of fresh?
While fresh lemon verbena provides the best flavor, you can use dried lemon verbena if fresh is not available. Adjust the amount used, as dried verbena is more concentrated.
Can I use a different type of jam for the glaze?
Absolutely! If you don’t like apricot jam, you can use peach jam or another similar jam.
Peach Lemon Verbena Fruit Tart
Ingredients
#### Sweet Tart Dough:
- – 1 large egg yolk
- – 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- – 1 1/4 cups flour 150 g
- – 2/3 cup powdered sugar 65 g
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 g
- – 1 stick butter chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (113 g)
#### Lemon Verbena Pastry Cream:
- – 2 cups whole milk 465 g
- – 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh lemon verbena leaves removed from stem (5 g)
- – 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 g
- – 5 tablespoons cornstarch 40 g
- – 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66 g
- – 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- – 4 tablespoons salted butter 57 g
#### Assembly:
- – 4-5 peaches thinly sliced
- – 1/4 cup apricot jam heated and strained
Instructions
#### Lemon Verbena Pastry Cream:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, slowly heat the milk and lemon verbena leaves until steaming but not boiling. Turn off the heat and cover to steep for 1 hour.
- Strain out the leaves and set the milk aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and sugar. Add eggs and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean paste over medium-high heat until just below boiling. Stir occasionally.
- Slowly add 1/3 of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the remaining hot milk. Whisk over medium heat until thickened, just below boiling. Remove from heat and strain through a sieve into a bowl.
- Cool for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then mix in butter one piece at a time until smooth.
- Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and chill in the refrigerator.
#### Tart Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together egg yolk, cream, almond extract, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt. Add chilled butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- While the processor is running, add the egg mixture and process until the dough forms a ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle and place it in a 9-inch tart pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, trimming any excess.
- Line the tart with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
#### Assembling the Tart:
- Pour the cooled custard into the cooled tart shell, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Heat and strain the apricot jam.
- Arrange thinly sliced peaches on top of the custard and brush with the apricot jam.
- Chill the tart in the refrigerator until ready to serve.