Puits d’Amour (Wells of Love)

Ingredients

• Pastry Cream

  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped or 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) milk

• Crust

  • 1 cup (150 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup (35 g) icing sugar

• Toppings

  • ¾ cup (180 ml) 35% whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 3 tbsp shredded sweetened coconut
  • 12 maraschino cherries, drained, patted very dry and halved