Fruit Tart: the amazing recipe for a beautiful summery dessert

With its tender, flaky crust and an eye-catching rainbow of seasonal fruits and berries, this easy-to-make fresh fruit tart is a sensational dessert to make this summer. Made with fresh, ripe fruit set in creamy, decadent homemade pastry custard in a buttery, flaky crust, homemade fruit tart is as delicious to eat as it is beautiful to look at.

Fruit tart is a wonderful dessert to make when you want to offer your guests fresh, vibrant flavors and impress them with your incredible baking skills. It's perfect for summer, especially with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream. Of course, you can make fruit tarts any time of year. Just use seasonal fruits to give your tart the best flavor!

Fruit Tart Ingredients

You can use any combination of fresh fruit. Berries, kiwis, grapefruit, apricot, pineapple, peaches, mango, clementines, and grapes all work well. Use what's in season for the best flavor.

For the pastry cream, you'll need milk, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract. Use whole milk for the silkiest texture while cornstarch will thicken the pastry cream.

To make the tart dough, you'll need butter, powdered sugar, an egg, flour, and baking soda, plus some vanilla extract to give the pastry a subtle vanilla flavor.

Last but not least, you'll need apricot jam which you'll melt and brush over the fruit to give it a gorgeous glaze.

How to Make Fruit Tart

Ready to get baking? Fire up your oven, gather your ingredients, and join us as we break down how to make the perfect fresh fruit tart from scratch.

Making the Custard 

The first step in making homemade fresh fruit tart is to prepare the pastry cream. Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch and salt, then set aside. Pour the milk into a saucepan. Stirring regularly, heat the milk for several minutes until small bubbles form. Beat half the milk into the egg mixture, making sure to whisk constantly. Whisking constantly will stop the hot milk from cooking the eggs.

Once smooth, beat in the rest of the milk, then pour everything back into the pot. Keep whisking, and cook the custard for several minutes, until thickened. Add in the vanilla, then put the pastry cream into a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic touches the top of the cream, otherwise a skin will form. Chill the cream for three hours.

Making the Tart Crust

Next up, let's make the dough! Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg, followed by the vanilla and salt. Beat the flour and baking powder in on low, mixing until the dough is just combined. You don't want to overmix it! Shape the dough into a ball, then wrap it in saran wrap. Pop it in the fridge for at least an hour.

Baking and Assembling the Fruit Tart

Roll out the dough to about 12 inches, then arrange it in a tart pan. Press it into the sides and bottom of the pan. Cut off any extra dough from the sides, then crimp the edges to make a decorative pattern. Put parchment paper over the crust, then add pie weights.

Bake your crust for 12 minutes at 350F. Take out the pie weights and baking parchment, then bake the crust for another 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven. The tart crust should be golden brown. Take it out of the oven, and leave it to cool completely.

Once the crust has cooled, fill it with your pastry cream. Make sure it's in an even layer. Top the cream with the fresh fruit in whatever pattern you like. Finally, brush the melted apricot jam over the fruit. This will give your fruit tart that beautiful glossy look. All that's left to do is serve and enjoy!

Tips for Making Fresh Fruit Tart

Use room temperature ingredients to make your fruit tart.

While this fresh fruit tart is a total showstopper, you can make mini fresh fruit tarts if feeding a crowd.

Use fresh fruit, not frozen fruit for your tart.

Stir continuously when heating the milk, so it doesn't scald.

Be sure the plastic wrap touches the top of the pastry cream. This will prevent a skin from forming over the pastry cream.

Don't overmix the dough.

Can You Make Fruit Tart Ahead of Time?

For best results, you'll want to serve your fruit tart the same day you made it. You can make the pastry cream up to four days ahead of time. The unbaked dough will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge, or frozen for up to three months.

How to Store Fruit Tart

Wrap the fruit tart well and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Fruit Desserts You'll Like

• Summer fruit salad
• Fruit pizza
• Soft strawberry tart

Instructions

For the pastry cream. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until small bubbles form on the top, stirring regularly. Turn off the heat.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar to combine.

Beat in the cornstarch and salt. Continue whisking and beat in half the milk. Once combined, whisk in the rest of the milk.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisking constantly, heat over medium until the custard thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Beat the vanilla into the pastry cream, then transfer the cream to a bowl.

Cover the pastry cream with cling film, making sure it touches the top of the cream. Place in the fridge for at least three hours or until chilled.

For the tart dough. Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla extract and salt, scraping down the sides as needed. Set the mixture to low and beat the flour and baking powder into it until the mixture is just combined.

Turn out the dough and shape it into a ball. Wrap it in cling film and place it in the fridge for at least one hour.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough to about 12 inches. Gently place the dough disc into the tart pan. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Slice off excess dough and crimp the edges to form a decorative pattern. Prick the bottom with a fork.

Line the dough with baking parchment. Fill the crust with pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and weights. Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool to room temperature.

To assemble. Scoop the pastry cream into the crust.

Once filled, place the fruit on the pastry cream.

Brush the fruit with the melted apricot jam. Dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve.

Notes

Use a 9-inch tart pan to make your fruit tart.