Are you following along, baking a French fruit tart with me?

Halfway through writing the last column, Bake a perfect tart case with Jaci’s guide, I thought we would like to see everyone's tarts once they are finished

There is now a giveaway of Jacican preserves, for one person, once photos of finished tarts are received.

So far, we have made the sweet short-crust pastry and turned it into a tart case.

This week, we are going to make the diplomat cream.

Diplomat cream is a fancy way of saying custard that has been set, then whipped, with more whipped cream folded through.

Some of you would have eaten diplomat cream more times than you can remember, as it is the type of custard in the fancy vanilla slice, the French one, you can find in the bakery.

Diplomat cream recipe

You will need to start this recipe two days before you want to build your French fruit tart, as the custard works best if it sets overnight before whipping, then again overnight before using.

Ingredients

8g gold leaf gelatin which is four full-size leaves

100g egg yolks, this is the yolks of about five eggs

120g castor sugar

50g cornflour

500g milk

A pinch of vanilla seeds

50g butter

200g whipping cream

Method

Step 1: Hydrate gelatin in cold water to bloom. It may help if you chop the gelatin up into small pieces.

Step 2: In a heatproof bowl, place the egg yolks. Blanch the egg yolks with the sugar. Add in the cornflour and whisk together.

Step 3: Place milk in a saucepan with vanilla seeds. Bring the milk to the boil.

Once the milk has just come to a boil, pour half the milk over the egg yolk mixture and whisk together.

Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and heat, whisking, until thickened.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and the soaked, drained gelatin.

Step 4: Strain into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

The plastic wrap needs to touch the custard's surface to stop a skin forming on top of the custard.

Place in the fridge to cool and set, preferably overnight.

Step 5: Whip the cream to firm peaks.

Place the cooled custard in the bowl of the mixer and whip.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream and whip vigorously.

Once the mixture is smooth, fold in the remaining cream.

Step 6: Place in a piping bag and refrigerate.

It will take us until the end of July to assemble the French fruit tart, so save this column and make your diplomat cream then.

In the next Jaci can cook column, we will be making the clear cake glaze, which means all of us will move into the advanced cake-baking class, only to find out it's not really that hard.

For those of you who read this in the printed paper Riv, only a couple of photos fit on the page.

If you want step-by-step photos, as well as a video of how to make diplomat cream go to riverineherald.com.au/lifestyle

Enjoy

– Jaci

Are you following along, baking a French fruit tart? Do you have a photo of your creation to share? Share it with Jaci at jaci.hicken@mmg.com.au

Anyone who shares a photo of their French fruit tart with the Riverine Herald and McPherson Media Group (MMG) will be in the running for a gift box of Jacican preserves valued at $30.00 (plus $10 postage).

All photos of French fruit tarts must be received by MMG by Friday, July 31, 2026, at 1 pm, at jaci.hicken@mmg.com.au

The winner will be chosen at the discretion of MMG on Friday, July 31, 2026, at 4 pm and published in the Riv on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

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