In a saucepan, combine the milk and half the sugar. Heat over medium until it's almost boiling.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with cornstarch and the remaining sugar until smooth.

Slowly add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.

Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it cool to room temperature.

Rinse the strawberries under cold water, then pat them dry with a clean towel.

Remove the stems and cut the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on size.

Once the pastry cream is fully chilled, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled pastry cream until combined.

Spread this mixture evenly into the pre-baked tart shell.

Place the sliced strawberries on top of the pastry cream, starting from the outer edge and working inward for a visually appealing presentation.

Refrigerate the tart for at least 2 hours to set.

Before serving, add a light glaze or preserve on top if desired.