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Simple Fruit Tart Recipe

Classic French Fruit Tart

iamwinfred
This Classic French Fruit Tart brings the elegance of a Parisian patisserie straight to your kitchen. A buttery, crumbly pâte sucrée shell is filled with silky vanilla pastry cream, then crowned with a rainbow of fresh seasonal fruit and finished with a glossy apricot glaze. Despite its stunning appearance, this tart breaks down into three simple, manageable components that even beginner bakers can master.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 8 slices
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom Non-stick coating recommended
  • Food processor Or use a pastry cutter and large bowl
  • Medium saucepan For making the pastry cream
  • Silicone whisk
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Rolling Pin
  • Plastic wrap
  • Parchment paper
  • pie weights or dried beans For blind baking the tart shell
  • Fine mesh sieve or strainer For straining pastry cream and apricot glaze
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Pastry brush Silicone recommended for applying glaze
  • Sharp knife and cutting board For prepping fruit
  • Offset spatula optional

Ingredients
  

For the Tart Shell (Pâte Sucrée)

  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 160g
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar 40g
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter 113g, cubed
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2-3 tbsp ice water

For the Pastry Cream

  • 2 cups whole milk 480ml
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Topping

  • strawberries fresh, hulled and sliced
  • kiwi peeled and sliced into rounds
  • blueberries fresh, washed and dried
  • raspberries fresh, washed and dried
  • mandarin orange segments white pith removed
  • 2 tbsp apricot jam for the glaze
  • 1 tbsp water for thinning the glaze

Instructions
 

  • Pour 2 cups (480ml) of whole milk into a medium saucepan over medium heat and warm until small bubbles form around the edges (scalding). Remove from heat as soon as it begins to steam — do not let it fully boil.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks and ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and slightly thick, about 1–2 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons cornstarch until fully combined with no lumps.
  • Slowly ladle the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly — add a ladle at a time to gradually raise the temperature without scrambling the eggs. Then pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan.
  • Set the saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly for 3–5 minutes until the custard suddenly thickens and becomes glossy. Continue cooking and whisking for 1 more minute, then remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  • Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully set.
  • In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt together. Add cold cubed butter and pulse 10–12 times until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse, then add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape into a flat disc without kneading. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to a 12-inch circle, about ⅛ inch (3mm) thick. Roll it loosely around the rolling pin and unroll it over the tart pan, pressing it gently into the bottom and fluted sides. Trim excess dough, dock the bottom with a fork, then freeze for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the frozen shell with parchment and fill with pie weights, then bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake 8–10 minutes more until light golden and dry. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Wash, dry, and prep all fruit: hull and slice strawberries, peel and slice kiwi into rounds, separate mandarin segments removing pith, and leave blueberries and raspberries whole. Pat everything thoroughly dry with paper towels.
  • Remove the cooled shell from the pan and place on a serving board. Stir the chilled pastry cream to loosen, then spread it evenly into the shell using an offset spatula. Arrange the fresh fruit on top, starting with larger pieces and filling in gaps with smaller ones.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons apricot jam with 1 tablespoon water, strain if needed, and brush warm glaze gently over all the fruit using light dabbing strokes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set, then serve chilled or at cool room temperature.

Notes

  • Keep butter cold: Cold butter is essential for a tender, crumbly pâte sucrée. If the dough feels greasy at any point, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.
  • Don't skip chilling the dough: Resting the dough prevents oven shrinkage. If your shell slides down during baking, it wasn't chilled long enough.
  • Temper the eggs slowly: Add the warm milk to the egg mixture one ladle at a time while whisking — rushing this step causes scrambled bits in your custard.
  • Whisk constantly when cooking the cream: Never stop whisking once the egg mixture is back in the saucepan, or the bottom can scorch and the eggs can curdle.
  • Use ripe but firm fruit: Overripe fruit releases too much moisture and can make the tart soggy. Look for plump, bright berries and kiwis that give slightly but still feel firm.
  • Make-ahead tip: The pastry cream keeps up to 3 days in the fridge, and the baked shell keeps up to 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container. Assemble no more than 2–3 hours before serving for the crispest shell.
  • Apricot glaze substitute: Peach jam or orange marmalade (strained) work well. A light drizzle of warm honey thinned with water also does the trick.
  • Apply glaze while warm: Once the glaze begins to cool and set, it becomes difficult to brush on evenly — work quickly after heating it.
  • Storage: Assembled tart keeps loosely covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. An unfilled baked shell can be frozen for up to 1 month, well-wrapped in plastic and foil.
  • No food processor? Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut cold butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs form, then mix in the egg yolk and ice water by hand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SliceCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 8mg
Keyword French pastry, fruit tart, pastry cream, pate sucree, summer dessert
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