Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (2024)

This homemade Fruit Tart Recipe is just like the kind you’ll find at fancy French bakeries, with a shortbread crust and vanilla pastry cream and topped with beautiful fresh fruit. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.

We love making bakery-style French desserts at home, from our Classic Eclair Recipe to our Peach Galette Recipe. If you feel the same, this Homemade Fruit Tart is a must-try!

Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (1)

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Fruit Tart Recipe

If you’ve ever been to an authentic French patisserie, you’ve probably seen the stunning fruit tarts in the bakery case, alongside the almond croissants and cream puffs. The fruit tarts are beautifully arranged and glistening – almost too pretty to eat!

Did you know you can make one at home that’s even better? I’ll show you how to make the perfect Sweet Tart Crust (pate sucre), vanilla Pastry Cream filling, and how to arrange the fruit. Here’s why you’ll love this fruit tart recipe:

  • Impressive – No one will believe you made this beautiful fruit tart yourself!
  • Fresh and perfect – When you buy a tart, sometimes you take it home and realize the fruit is a little past its prime. Make it at home and you can make sure all the fruit is at the peak of ripeness.
  • Versatile – Use the seasonal fruit you have on hand and enjoy this tart year-round.
  • Easier than you think – While making a fruit tart does take time, there’s nothing about the process that’s difficult.

Fruit Tart Video Tutorial

Watch Natasha make this fruit tart recipe, then grab the ingredients and give it a try yourself!

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

  • Pastry cream – Make a batch of my Pastry Cream Recipe. This can be made up to 3 days ahead.
  • Sweet tart dough– Use my Pate Sucre Recipe.
  • Fresh fruit or berries – You’ll need 4 cups of fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, mandarins, etc.
  • Apricot preserves – Combine this with a tablespoon of water to glaze the fruit.
Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (2)

The Best Fruit for a Fruit Tart

Use fruit based on the season you are in. You can change up your fruit tart in so many ways. Here are some of our favorite fruits to use:

  • Berries– Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
  • Stone Fruit – Cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums
  • Currants – Black currants, Red currants
  • Citrus – Clementine or mandarin orange segments
  • Tropical fruits – Mango, kiwi, starfruit
Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (3)

Pro Tip: Avoid fruit that discolors quickly, such as banana or apple, unless you are planning to serve immediately after assembling. Also, avoid fruits that release a lot of juice such as melon or sliced citrus. Berries should be rinsed and dried thoroughly with paper towels; turn raspberries upside-down on a paper towel so any water in the hollow center drains out.

How to Make a Fruit Tart

You can get a head start on this recipe by making both the pastry cream and tart dough in advance.

  1. Make the pastry cream – Do this first, since it needs time to set. Let the cream cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or up to a few days ahead of time.
  2. Make the tart crust – Follow the recipe for the tart dough. Once baked, set the tart pan on a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature.
  3. Add the pastry cream – Once the crust has cooled, carefully release it from the pan and set it on a serving platter. Spread the pastry cream into the tart pan.
  4. Arrange the fruit –Top the pastry cream with the fruit; you can do this in rings or just scatter it over the top.
  5. Make the glaze – Microwave the apricot preserves and water in a heat-safe bowl for about 30 seconds, or until the preserves are softened. If the preserves have bits of fruit, you can strain them out.
  6. Glaze the tart – Use a pastry brush to brush the preserves evenly over the fruit.
Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (4)

Pro Tip: If you are serving right away, you can skip the glaze, although it adds an extra layer of flavor and the glossy finish looks very professional.

Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (5)

Common Questions

What is a fruit tart?

A fruit tart is a classic French dessert made with a sweet crust, vanilla-flavored pastry cream, and glazed fruit on the top.

Can I use a different jam for the glaze?

Use a jam that is lighter in color such as apricot jam or apple jam. Other varieties will work but they do add a rosy color to your fruit.

Can I substitute the cream?

A cream cheese frosting is sturdy enough to make a nice base for a tart. You can also use a mascarpone-based frosting, which is easy and there’s no need to cook it.

Can I make this in a regular pie pan?

No, this recipe won’t work in a pie pan. You need to be able to remove the mold.

What is the best pan for making a fruit tart?

I use this 11-inch pan, which is what I use to make Quiche also. The bottom is removable, which makes it so much easier to get nice, clean slices. You can also use a 10″ round tart pan or a 9″ square tart pan.

Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (6)

Make-Ahead

You can easily make this fruit tart ahead of time, but I don’t recommend freezing it because the fresh fruit will release liquid into the filling after freezing and thawing.

  • To Refrigerate: Once assembled, this fruit tart will last for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator, depending on the fruit you use. Whole berries will last longer than cut fruit.
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This authentic fruit tart recipe will give you a bakery-style dessert at home, and it’s easier to make than you think.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

If you love home-baked pastries and desserts, then you won’t want to miss these fruit dessert recipes:

  • Apple Crisp Recipe
  • Blueberry Pie
  • Apple Turnovers
  • Blueberry Lemon Cake Recipe
  • Lemon Bars
  • No Bake Cheesecake

Fresh Fruit Tart Recipe

5 from 49 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (9)

This authentic French fruit tart recipe layers vanilla pastry cream and fresh fruit over a sweet homemade crust. You can even make the crust and pastry cream 2-3 days ahead of time and assemble them the day you are serving for the prettiest presentation.

SavePinReviewPrint

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8 people

  • 1 Sweet Tart Dough Recipe, Pate Sucre
  • 1 Pastry Cream Recipe
  • 4 cups fresh fruit or berries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, clementine segments, etc
  • 1/3 cup Apricot Preserves with 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

  • Make Pastry Cream Recipe first since it needs time to set. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly over the surface and cool the cream to room temperature then refrigerate for 2 hours to set. You can make the cream a few days ahead.

  • Make the Tart Crust Recipe in a 10 to 11-inch round tart pan. Once baked, remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature then carefully release the tart from the pan. You can leave the bottom of the pan on if you prefer.

  • Set the tart pan over your serving platter (it will be hard to transfer once the crust is filled). Spread the pastry cream evenly into the tart pan.

  • Arrange your fruit to your preference. You can either arrange fruit in rings or scatter it randomly over the top.

  • Make the Glaze: In a heat-safe bowl, combine apricot preserves and 1 Tbsp water and microwave for 30 seconds just enough to soften and loosen up the preserves. If preserves have a lot of fruit pieces, you can strain those out. Use a pastry brush to brush preserves over the fruit, applying an even coating over all the fruit.

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: french fruit tart, fresh fruit tart, fruit tart recipe

Skill Level: Medium/Advanced

Cost to Make: $$

Natasha Kravchuk

Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (10)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Fruit Tart Recipe with Best Cream (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

What is the cream in tarts made of? ›

Make Pastry Cream

In a small saucepan (off the heat), combine sugar, corn starch, flour, egg yolks, egg, and ½ cup of milk. Whisk vigorously to combine. Add rest of the milk, cream and vanilla. Whisk to combine and turn on heat to medium.

How do you keep fruit tarts from getting soggy? ›

Finally, to prevent soggy bottom tart shells, two things. If pre-baking, when you take the tart shell out of the oven, wait 1-2 minutes then use a pastry brush and apply a little frothy egg white to the inside. This will essentially cook the egg white from the heat of the pastry and will seal the crust.

What is the difference between a fruit tart and a flan? ›

In some countries, such as the U.K. and Germany, flan is not a baked custard dessert but instead similar to a fruit tart, made with a cake-like crust, custard filling, and fresh fruit on top.

What is fruit tart filling made of? ›

What is the filling in a fruit tart? Fruit tarts are generally filled with pastry cream made from milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar corn starch, and butter.

What is the creaming method for tarts? ›

Creaming method requires creaming butter with sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. After that, liquid ingredients are gradually added to the mixture. Sifted dry ingredients are folded into the mixture in the end. The dough is left to rest in the refrigerator until firm.

How do you thicken custard for tarts? ›

Using a Thickening Agent

Mix flour and cold water well, making sure the mixture is smooth. For 1 cup (240 mL) of custard, use 2 tablespoons (17 g) of flour mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of cold water. Add the mixture into your custard ingredients as they cook on the stove. Use cornstarch as an alternative to flour.

How do you make a tart without a soggy bottom? ›

A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom. (Using metal is crucial: Glass or ceramic pans don't transfer heat as efficiently, so they can be accomplices to a sad, soggy bottom.)

Do fruit tarts need to be refrigerated overnight? ›

Storing: A fruit tart is best enjoyed the day it is assembled although it's still good the next day as well, even if the crust has softened slightly. To store leftovers, cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. It can be eaten for up to 3-4 days but is best when it's freshest.

How do I keep the bottom crust of a fruit pie from getting soggy? ›

Brush the Bottom with Corn Syrup or Egg White

Coating the inside surface of the bottom crust will create a barrier to prevent sogginess.

What is another name for a fruit tart? ›

What is another word for fruit tart?
tarttartlet
pastypie
flanpatty
turnoverstrudel
Danishbun
15 more rows

What are the two types of tarts? ›

Today, tarts are enjoyed around the world, and there are many different variations. Common fillings for sweet tarts include fruit, custard, and cream, while savory tarts are typically filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables.

What is a sweet but tart fruit? ›

Currants are a tart berry related to gooseberries, with the red variety offering a great combination of red fruit sweetness and bright acidity. There are also black and white currants.

Why is my tart filling runny? ›

If the filling is runny and flowing out of the tart when you cut into it, then it is likely that the curd was not cooked for quite long enough.

Can you make a tart in a pie pan? ›

I started off making tarts in a pie pan. It is a workable substitution, but now that I have tart pans of my own, I have to admit that it's much better. Getting the tart part out is so much simpler, and it ends up with lovely scalloped edges.

Why does my tart filling crack? ›

Burr explains that custard, especially ones that are heavy on fruit, have a tendency to split as a result of the moisture content and too-high oven temperatures. This is the chief issue you'll encounter when baking a lemon tart.

What is cream in pastry made of? ›

It's simple enough to make: combine milk, sugar, eggs, starch, and a flavoring, then heat them together to harness the thickening power of eggs and starch. However, if made incorrectly, it can become too stiff, too runny, or maybe even too bland.

What are the 4 types of filling for pies and tarts? ›

Pie crusts and tart shells can be made from several types of dough or crumbs. Flaky dough, mealy dough and crumbs are best for pie crusts; sweet dough is usually used for tart shells. Fillings make pies and tarts distinctive and flavorful. Four types of fillings are common: cream, fruit, custard and chiffon.

What is tart dessert made of? ›

A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard.

Is pastry cream the same as custard? ›

Put simply, pastry cream is a type of custard. Adding cornstarch to the vanilla custard will give you a thick, firm substance (almost like vanilla pudding) that will hold its shape when piped. Custard that you can pour, which is only thickened with eggs, is actually called crème anglaise.

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