Red Currant and Vanilla Panna Cotta Tart Recipe

Tart Shell:

• 230 g all-purpose flour
• 125 g unsalted butter chilled and diced
• 50 g powdered sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp whole milk

To glaze the tart shell:

• 1 egg yolk
• a couple of drops of boiling water

Red Currant-Vanilla Panna Cotta Filling

• 1 heaping cup fresh red currants use up to 1.5 cups if available
• 1/3 cup / 67 g granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 of a large vanilla bean
• scant 2 tsp powdered gelatin
• 4 tbsp cold water

To decorate:

• white currants

Make the tart shell:

1. Place the flour and diced cold butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the powdered sugar and beat gently until just combined.
3. Add the egg yolk and milk and increase the speed to medium-low. Mix until the dough just begins to come together.
4. Gather the dough into plastic wrap, shape it into a ball, then flatten into a disk about 1/2 inch thick.
5. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
6. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment until about 1/8 inch thick to avoid adding extra flour.
7. Remove the top sheet of parchment, transfer the dough (parchment side down) into a 9-inch fluted tart pan, press gently into the sides and bottom, and leave a slight overhang. Reserve any extra dough.
8. Chill the lined tart pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
10. Remove the chilled shell, place it on a baking sheet, and prick the bottom with a fork at 1-inch intervals. Line with crumpled parchment and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice.
11. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake another 5 minutes until the crust loses its raw appearance.
12. Patch any cracks with reserved dough. Mix the remaining egg yolk with a couple drops of boiling water, brush the inside of the shell, and return to the oven.
13. Bake another 15 minutes, then transfer the tart shell to a wire rack to cool while still on the baking sheet.
14. When cool, trim the overhang with a vegetable peeler and brush out any crumbs with a soft pastry brush.

Make the panna cotta filling:

1. Combine the red currants and granulated sugar in a bowl and let them macerate for 30 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the currant-sugar mixture, scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean, and heat gently until just steaming (about 160–170°F). Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
3. Toward the end of the steeping time, place the cold water in a spouted container and sprinkle the powdered gelatin over it to soften.
4. Reheat the currant-cream mixture until just steaming again.
5. Set a fine-mesh sieve over the container with the softened gelatin and pour the hot currant-cream through the sieve, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid and color as possible. Whisk the strained currant-cream into the gelatin until fully dissolved.
6. Place the cooled tart shell on a low shelf in the refrigerator.
7. Carefully pour the panna cotta filling into the tart shell and refrigerate until set, at least four hours or preferably overnight.
8. Once the filling is fully set, decorate the tart with white currants and serve chilled.