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For the crust:
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Cut your butter into small cubes and put it back into the fridge until you are ready to use it.
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Put the sugar, flour and a pinch of salt into a food processor (or medium bowl if doing it by hand) and pulse a few times to combine.
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Put the cold butter into the dry ingredients and pulse again (or use a pastry cutter) until the butter is about the size of peas.
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Add in the vanilla and egg yolk and pulse to combine.
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Add in ice water by the tablespoon until the dough comes together. The dough sill be very loose and crumbly. That's okay.
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Put the dough on some plastic wrap and shape into a round disk. Wrap it tightly and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to a few days.
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When ready to bake, generously butter a tart pan, 1 large or several small. It's easier if you use ones with removable bottoms.
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Preheat your oven to 375u00b0F.
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Take the dough out of the fridge and put it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to the size of your tart pan(s) and then place dough into the pan.
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Make sure to stuff it in all the nooks and crannies of the pan. If you need more dough in some areas, pinch off some overhang from other areas. You want it pretty even and you won't see all the seams once baked.
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Place a piece of parchment paper on the tart shell and fill it with beans or pastry beads. (I forgot to do this step so my crust puffed up, but it sank once out of the oven so it's not that big a deal. The sides just kind of come down a bit.)
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Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
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For the filling:
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Put 1 1/4 cups of the heavy cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla and slowly bring to a boil. Then once it boils, turn off heat and let the mixture sit for 1 hour.
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If using a vanilla bean, remove the bean from the cream, scrape out seeds and add the seeds to the cream and throw out the pod.
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Mix the gelatin into the milk and set aside.
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Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl. Put the vanilla-infused cream in the top of a double boiler to gradually heat it up. Once it's warm, slowly whisk it into the eggs.
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Then put the egg mixture back in the top of the double boiler and stir until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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Remove from heat and add the milk and the gelatin mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
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Place the bowl of filling into another bowl that you've filled with ice and a little water (to cool it off) and stir until it reaches room temperature or even colder.
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While the mixture is cooling, take the remaining 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream and put it in a standing mixer with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on high and beat the cream until stiff peaks have formed.
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Fold the whipped cream into the now cool mixture. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours (or overnight) until mixture is set.
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For the topping:
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While the tart is baking, wash your fruit and slice up your strawberries.
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Once the crust is completely cooled, put in plenty of the Bavarian cream. Layer the berries on top of the cream in any form you want, or just pile it all in there.
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Slice and serve.
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Crust is adapted in part from Brown Eyed Baker and Anne Burrell; the Bavarian Cream is from Michael Symon.
