Asparagus and Ham Puff Pastry Tart
- Sweet & savory
- Oven
A golden puff pastry tart layered with creamy Gruyère, tender asparagus and ham, baked until the edges are crisp and the cheese bubbles. A savory Easter brunch centerpiece that feeds a small table.
- Total
- 65 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 50
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Whisking · Seasoning in layers
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
~10 min
-
Lay the puff pastry on the parchment and roll it to a rough 30 by 25 cm rectangle. Score a 1.5 cm border around the edge with a knife, without cutting through, then prick the inner rectangle all over with a fork so it does not balloon.
~5 min
Pricking lets steam escape from the inner rectangle so it stays flat, while the unscored border puffs up into a crisp rim.
-
Whisk the cream with the eggs, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
~3 min
Whisking until smooth breaks up the egg proteins so the custard bakes evenly instead of streaking.
Whisking Whisk briskly in a circular motion until the cream and eggs are fully uniform; stop as soon as it is smooth so you do not whip in air.
Seasoning in layers Season the custard, then taste the ham and cheese for saltiness before adding more; layering salt gradually keeps the tart balanced.
-
Spread the cream mixture over the pricked inner rectangle, keeping the border clear. Scatter the gruyere over the cream, then lay the ham in an even layer on top.
~4 min
Keeping the border clear leaves dry pastry that can puff into a crisp edge rather than a soggy one.
Keep the filling off the scored border: a clean dry rim is what puffs into the crisp golden edge.
Seasoning in layers Season the custard, then taste the ham and cheese for saltiness before adding more; layering salt gradually keeps the tart balanced.
-
Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and lay the spears across the ham in a single snug row, alternating tips up and down. Brush the spears and the pastry border with the olive oil.
~3 min
A single snug row lets the spears cook evenly, and the oil helps them brown rather than dry out.
If the asparagus spears are thick, halve them lengthwise so they soften fully in the same time the pastry needs to brown.
-
Bake until the pastry border is puffed and deep golden and the cheese is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the tart stand on the tray for 5 minutes before slicing.
~40 min
Standing lets the custard finish setting and firm up, so the slices hold together instead of running.
