This fruit tart recipe has a wonderfully buttery crust, rich pastry cream, and fresh ripe fruit with an easy fruit glaze, and looks beautifully elegant and will impress your family and friends.

The wonderful thing about this elegant dessert is how quickly it can come together, and it will look like you have been working on it all day when it really took you minimal bake time to complete it. There is also a lot of variety with this recipe and can easily be mini fruit tarts for a nice bite-sized treat for your guests.

Components of a fruit tart

Tarts are baked in a pan with shallow sides and a removable bottom since they only have a bottom crust and are always removed from the pan before serving. There are only four components to a tart.

A sweet, buttery crust
Pastry cream with vanilla extract
Fresh fruit
Fruit Glaze

Tips for a successful fresh fruit tart

Chill the tart before serving: Allow the tart to set in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer. I prefer to chill it in the fridge overnight. This will help it set and be easier to slice so that the pastry cream isn’t loose when you go to serve it and it comes out in one beautiful slice.
Tart Pan: You will need to use a tart pan. There really isn’t a substitute for this. A tart pan will have wonderful scalloped edges and a removable bottom, which is very helpful when you need to remove the tart from the pan.
Room temperature butter: Cut the butter into small pieces or cubes so that it will blend better into the crust batter.
Press crust firmly into pan: In order to have the nice ridged edges, you need to make sure you press the batter into the scalloped edges firmly.

Holding butter at room temperature , cut it into pieces. — Holding butter at room temperature, cut it into pieces.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a tart ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it ahead of time. I would suggest waiting to assemble until the day of serving. Making the crust ahead of time and letting it cool and then covering it with foil. You can make the custard ahead as well and lay plastic wrap over the custard. Then assemble it the day you plan on serving, allowing for the time to chill.

Do you need to refrigerate your tart?

Yes, you should refrigerate your tart before and after serving, and if possible, store it in an airtight container so it won’t absorb the smells in your refrigerator.

How do I make a fruit tart if I don’t have the tart pan?

It’s ideal if you have a tart pan because you will get the nice scalloped edges, but if you don’t have a tart pan, you can use a pie and press it into the pie pan and, using your fingers, pinch the dough to create the desired scalloped edges you are looking for and bake the crust as directed. You will not want to remove it from the pie pan because it will not stay together. Just fill and decorate right in the pie pan.

How long will it last in the refrigerator?

It will last in the fridge for 2-3 days. Wrap it with plastic wrap until you want to enjoy another slice.

What fruits are best for a fruit tart?

Traditionally, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and kiwis are used, but you can use fruits like blackberries, mangoes, pineapples, peaches, and mandarin oranges. I stay away from bananas and any fruit that will turn brown and go slimy on your tart.

Steps to make a fruit tart

Crust

Dough: In a food processor or stand-up mixer, pulse flour, sugar, salt, and butter until the pieces are no bigger than pea size or fine sand. Add the egg and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Add milk just until the dough starts to come together. And let it sit and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Shape: Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface until it is about a ¼ inch thick and slightly bigger than your tart pan. Then press the dough into your tart pan and form it up the sides. Then with a fork, pierce the dough. This helps so the steam can escape and prevents it from puffing up.
Weights: cover the dough with parchment paper or foil. Fill with the pie with weights or dried beans (I usually use dried beans).
Bake: Bake the crust for around 18–22 minutes or until lightly golden and allow it to cool completely.

Custard filling

Mix: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Then whisk in the milk until it is combined with no lumps. Heat the mixture over medium heat for 2-4 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the pure vanilla extract.
Pour into crust: Next, add in butter, one piece at a time, until completely melted into the filling. This will give you’re filling a nice glossy look. Pour the hot filling into the cooled tart crust and cover it with plastic wrap. I like to put my hands on the plastic wrap so it’s right up against the filling so the filling doesn’t create a film. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or until the custard is cold.

Fruit Assembly

Fruit Assembly: Arrange fruit in a decorative pattern, using strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or kiwis.
Glaze: Using a pastry brush, brush the fruit with melted fruit tart glaze.