Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until coarse crumbs form (pea-sized pieces).
Mix egg yolk, white wine vinegar, and 1 tbsp. ice water; add to flour mixture, stirring until dough forms. Add more water, 1 tsp. at a time, if needed.
Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press in, trim excess, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Poke the frozen crust bottom with a fork. Wet parchment paper, crunch into a ball, dry with a towel, and press into the crust. Fill to the top with dried beans.
Bake 20 minutes until edges are golden. Remove parchment and beans, bake 10 minutes more until bottom is golden brown. Cool completely.
Make the Vanilla Lemon Curd:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar, and salt until sugar dissolves (2-3 minutes).
Add butter cubes, stirring until nearly melted.
In a bowl, whisk eggs and yolk. Slowly pour half the warm lemon mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Return to the saucepan with remaining mixture.
Stir constantly over medium-low heat until it thickens and reaches 170-180°F (77-82°C), about 5-7 minutes. Don’t boil!
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cool slightly.
Assemble and Top:
Pour warm curd into cooled crust, spreading evenly.
Pipe or dollop stabilized whipped cream on top, then add sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
Refrigerate 1 hour to set. Serve chilled.
Notes
White Wine Vinegar: Used for its mild flavor to keep the crust tender. Reduced to 1 1/2 tsp. to avoid a strong baking smell—taste stays neutral
Freezing Trick: Freezing the rolled crust for 1 hour prevents shrinking; the wet parchment helps beans hug every edge.
Curd Consistency: Aim for 170-180°F—tempering eggs prevents curdling. If runny, reheat or add a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp. + 1 tbsp. water).
Stabilized Whipped Cream: If you're topping with whipped cream, check out my post on how to stabilize it so it doesn't separate - it's a game changer
Topping Ideas: Whipped cream, dusting of powdered sugar, or fresh berries all taste amazing! Or plain is delicious too!