A fruit tart layers wet pastry cream and fresh fruit directly onto a pastry shell, and that shell has to be fully baked and cooled before any of that moisture touches it, or it turns soft and pale instead of staying crisp. Blind baking, lining the raw shell with parchment and pie weights before it ever sees filling, is what lets the crust set and brown fully on its own.
The pastry cream underneath has its own temperature discipline: it needs to be fully chilled and firm before it's spread, a warm pastry cream will run under the weight of the fruit and slump out the sides the moment the tart is sliced.
Fresh Fruit Tart
Serves 4, one 9-inch tart, quarter slices. Prep 45 minutes, chill 2 hours, cook 22 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ice water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks, for the pastry cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups mixed fresh berries and sliced fruit
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed, for glaze
Method
- Pulse the flour, powdered sugar, and cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water, pulsing just until the dough clumps.
- Press the dough into a disc, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan. Prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights.
- Blind bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake 5 to 7 minutes more, until golden throughout. Cool completely.
- While the crust bakes, warm the milk in a saucepan until it steams. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together, then slowly whisk in the warm milk.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a pudding consistency, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream and chill at least 2 hours, until firm.
- Spread the chilled pastry cream into the cooled tart shell. Arrange the fruit on top and brush lightly with warmed apricot jam for shine.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated for one of four servings, a quarter of the tart, not lab verified.
| Calories | Protein | Carbohydrate | Fat | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 520 | 9 g | 56 g | 28 g | 2 g | 110 mg |
Tips and Variations
- Do not skip the weights: an unweighted shell puffs and shrinks unevenly, weights hold the shape while the crust sets.
- Assemble close to serving: the crust stays crispest if you fill it within a few hours of serving rather than the night before.
- Mix textures and colors: alternating fruit shapes and colors makes the tart look far more composed with almost no extra effort.
- Chocolate barrier: brushing the baked, cooled shell with a thin layer of melted chocolate before filling adds an extra moisture barrier and a flavor layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my crust turn soggy?
Either the shell wasn't fully blind baked, or the pastry cream went in while still warm. Bake the crust until deeply golden and chill the pastry cream fully first.
Why is my pastry cream lumpy?
The milk was likely added too fast to the egg yolks, scrambling them slightly. Whisk it in slowly in a thin stream.
Can I make the components ahead?
Yes, the baked shell holds a day at room temperature and the pastry cream holds two days chilled, assemble with fruit close to serving.
What fruit works best?
Firm fruits that hold their shape, berries, kiwi, and sliced stone fruit, all work well. Very juicy or soft fruit can weep and soften the cream faster.
Tools for the Job
A proper tart pan with a removable base is what lets the finished tart come out looking clean instead of collapsing on release.
- Tart and Quiche Pan with Loose Bottom for a clean release and even baking
- Baking Dessert and Pastry Essentials
More Baking and Dessert Recipes
These publish together as a set. The full hub lists all twenty in one place at Baking and Dessert Recipes.
Who Is Writing This
I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
If a recipe is missing something you needed, or a step didn't make sense, tell me. Get in touch and I'll fix it.
Cook Bolder, Serve Wiser, Eat Better.