Peach Pudding Tart with Lemon Cream

Place 70 g softened butter in a bowl and sift in 125 g cake flour, 40 g icing sugar and 2 g salt.

Rub gently until the butter and dry ingredients form fine sandy crumbs.

Add 20 g beaten egg and gently bring the dough together without prolonged kneading.

Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 170°C and roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line the base and sides of the tart pan.

Fit the dough into the pan, press gently against the sides and trim the excess.

Prick the base with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake at 170°C for 15–20 minutes until the shell holds its shape.

Remove from the oven and lift out the baking paper and weights.

Mix 90 g softened cream cheese with 20 g icing sugar until smooth.

Add 50 g beaten egg, 30 g whipping cream and 30 g yogurt and stir well.

Sift in 8 g cornstarch, add 3 g lemon juice and mix until evenly combined.

Pour into the blind-baked tart shell and level the filling.

Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes until the filling is set with only a slight wobble in the center.

Cool the tart completely on a rack, about 45 minutes, then remove it from the pan.

Gently whisk 3 eggs with 10 g granulated sugar until dissolved, avoiding excess foam.

Warm 300 g milk and add it to the eggs in three additions while stirring.

Strain twice and divide among 3 small heatproof pudding molds with watertight bases.

Set the molds in a baking tray, add water to about 1 cm deep and cover the mold tops with foil.

Bake with top and bottom heat at 160°C for about 45 minutes until set with a slight wobble in the center.

Cool for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm enough to unmold, preparing the peach components during this time.

Wash and peel the peaches, reserve the skins, then weigh 200 g flesh and dice it.

Mix the diced flesh with 40 g granulated sugar and refrigerate for 2 hours to release its juice.

Cook the peach skins with 100 g water until pink, then remove the skins.

Add the macerated peaches and their juice and simmer gently until thickened with tender fruit pieces.

Cool the compote completely, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until assembly.

Cut additional peaches into very thin slices, soak in enough sugar syrup until flexible and drain before decorating.

Place 200 g cold whipping cream, 5 g finely grated lemon zest and 15 g caster sugar in a chilled bowl.

Whip at medium speed until the cream begins to leave trails.

Add 5 g lemon juice and continue whipping until firm enough to spread and pipe.

Stop when smooth and holding peaks, transfer to a piping bag and keep cold.

Spread a layer of lemon cream over the completely cooled cheese tart.

Spread the chilled peach compote evenly over the cream, keeping any loose liquid away from the pastry.

Cover with another layer of lemon cream and smooth the top.

Pipe cream dollops around the edge and reserve a little cream for the pudding center.

Unmold one chilled pudding onto a heatproof plate, gently blot its surface and sprinkle with a thin layer of granulated sugar.

Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch, let the surface cool slightly and transfer the pudding to the center of the tart with a spatula.

Arrange the drained peach slices in gently overlapping petals around the pudding.

Add edible dried flower petals if desired, pipe a cream dollop in the pudding center and top with the cherry if using.

Refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until the cream and filling layers are firm.

Cut into 8 portions with a sharp knife, wipe the knife between cuts and serve cool.