In a food processor, blend the flour, icing sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse a few times, until it forms pea-sized pieces. Add the water. Pulse just until the dough starts coming together. Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for 30 seconds or until smooth.
Press the dough evenly along the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) round, 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the dough with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Cover the dough with a piece of foil and fill with dried beans or ceramic pie weights.
Bake for 18 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden. Gently remove the pie weights and foil.
Maple Filling
Entre-temps, dans un petit bol, saupoudrer la gélatine
sur l’eau. Laisser gonfler 5 minutes.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly wobbly at the centre. Let cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until the filling is set and completely chilled. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
Whipped Cream
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Let bloom for 5 minutes.
In a small pot, bring ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream to a boil with the sugar and vanilla seeds. Remove from the heat.
Add the gelatin to the pot and whisk until dissolved. Add the remaining cream. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until the cream has completely chilled.
Maple Jelly (optional)
Meanwhile, in a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over ¼ cup (60 ml) of the water. Let bloom for 5 minutes.
In a small pot, bring the remaining water and the maple syrup to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Add the gelatin to the pot and whisk until dissolved. Spread the jelly out in a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan. Let cool. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Crumble (optional)
Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients until just moistened. Press the mixture together with your hands, letting it fall in pieces of varying sizes onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the crumble is cooked, stirring halfway through cooking. Let cool completely.
Assembly
Dip the bottom of the loaf pan of maple jelly in hot water for a few seconds to help unmould. On a work surface, turn the loaf pan over to release the jelly. Dice the jelly.
In a bowl, whisk the chilled cream mixture with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a St. Honoré tip or plain tip. Cover the top of the tart with lines of whipped cream.
Transfer the dulce de leche to another pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe lines of dulce de leche between the lines of whipped cream. Decorate with some of the crumble and diced maple jelly. Cut into wedges and serve with the remaining crumble and jelly. The tart will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Note from Ricardo
We use maple-flavoured sweetened condensed milk in the tart filling and maple-flavoured dulce de leche in the tart topping. Both of these delicious products are made by Au Pied de Cochon and can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
