1. Start by making the pastry cream filling. Use a small paring knife to slit open the vanilla bean half.

2. Open the bean and press flat with your knife, scraping the vanilla bean seeds onto your knife edge.

3. Add to 3 tablespoons sugar, and use your fingers to break up the seeds and combine with the sugar.

4. Put the vanilla sugar, empty vanilla bean pod, and 1 cup milk into a saucepan. Heat over medium, whisking to dissolve the sugar.

5. Meanwhile, put egg yolks in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and set to medium speed.

6. Slowly add 3 tablespoons sugar, then whip together on high speed. Scrape down the mixer bowl as needed.

7. When egg mixture gets to ribbon stage and lightens (about 3-4 minutes), stop whipping.

8. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch into the remaining ⅓ cup of milk until smooth. Set aside.

9. When milk in the saucepan has just come to a low boil (watch carefully), add the cold milk mixture to the stand mixer and combine on low.

10. Once it is well combined, slowly pour in the hot milk with mixer on low.

11. As soon as it is incorporated, turn off mixer and pour the entire mixture back into your saucepan.

12. Over low heat, stir with a whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil again and starts to thicken (about 2 minutes).

13. Then whisk for another 2 minutes over low heat to make sure any raw taste from the cornstarch is gone. Whisk aggressively if it looks like the mixture isn’t coming together smoothly.

14. Whisk in butter, then turn off the heat. Remove the vanilla bean.

15. Scrape pastry cream into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly over the top.

16. Let cool, then put in the refrigerator to chill until cold.

17. Now you can start to assemble the tart. Remove the outer ring from the tart pan and put the pâte sucrée tart shell on a serving dish or cake stand.

18. Whisk the pastry cream in a bowl until it is smooth with no lumps.

19. Spread the pastry cream evenly over the base of the tart crust. An offset spatula is the perfect tool for this.

20. Cut off the top of each strawberry and slice each into 3 or 4 thin vertical slices.

21. Begin to lay them on top of the pastry cream, overlapping them in the same direction, starting from the outside circle and moving inward.

22. When tart is completely covered with strawberry slices, combine 2 tablespoons strawberry or apricot jam with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl.

23. Microwave for about 10 seconds, until the jam is a little melted and smooth.

24. Use a pastry brush to brush the jam over the top of the strawberry slices, making them shiny.

25. Chill until ready to serve.