A proper tart shell should be golden brown, uniformly thin, crispy, and have smooth, clean edges. When you bite into it, it should melt in your mouth as you chew. I¡¯m practical when it comes to tart shells. To me, a tart shell must serve a purpose: it should carry as much fresh fruit as possible. During the summer in France, this means a punnet of ripe woodland strawberries¡ªthey taste so sweet, they could be candy¡ªarranged on top of a layer of whipped vanilla ganache. I add as many as I can, so there¡¯s not a sliver of ganache visible. A little strawberry jam piped on top deepens the tart¡¯s flavor.?

There¡¯s something about a pastry cream that no mousse or ganache can ever replicate. It¡¯s smooth and custardy¡ªthe perfect texture. You can eat it on its own by the spoonful almost like pudding, but it¡¯s terrific in tarts and on cakes. It¡¯s sturdy enough not to collapse under the weight of fresh berries, and subtle in flavor, so it highlights even the most delicate fruits.

Don¡¯t be intimidated by the fancy name¡ªchocolate ganache is just a mixture of chocolate and cream. A good chocolate ganache recipe is incredibly versatile. It can be infused with herbs and spices to create vibrant and flavorful fillings for truffles, or even melted into milk to make a rich cup of cocoa. When liquid, ganache can be used to glaze a cake; when set, it can be whipped and used to fill or even frost cakes.