In the world of French pastries, nothing is as classic and delicious as a Tarte Aux Fruits (Fruit Tart in English.) With its buttery tart shell cradling a creamy rich pastry cream and an array of vibrant fresh fruits, this dessert is just the best. Let’s explore the secrets to creating the perfect Tarte Aux Fruits together.

Ingredients for Fresh Fruit Tart:

For Tart Crust Recipe:

• Unsalted Butter
• All purpose flour
• Egg yolks
• Sugar
• Milk
• Cornstarch
• Vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
• Fresh fruits of choice 

Supplies needed for a classic fruit tart recipe:

• Tart tin (ideally one with a removable bottom)
• Rolling pin
• Fine-mesh sieve
• Small Bowl
• Pastry brush
• Medium saucepan

A good Tarte Aux Fruits starts with a great pastry crust. To craft the perfect tart shell, you’ll need a blend of flour, butter, sugar, and egg yolks. This mixture forms the basis of the pâte sucrée, or sweet pastry dough, which is similar to a regular pie crust, but with the added richness of egg yolks and a little sugar. It’s a sweet crust but not overly so.

To begin, combine the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Add in the egg yolks and butter, pulsing until the dough comes together. Remember to let the dough rest, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for easy handling. (You can also do this step by hand or with a pastry cutter.)

No Fruit Tart is complete without a dreamy layer of vanilla pastry cream, also known as crême pâtissière. To prepare the pastry cream, stir together the milk and some sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, sugar, and cornstarch. When the milk comes to a boil, slowly stream it into the bowl of egg mixture while mixing constantly so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly until cream is thick and bubbling like lava.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using.

You don’t bake the filling so you’ll need to blind bake your tart shell. Preheat your oven and roll out the tart dough to fit your tart pan. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to prevent shrinkage during baking. Blind bake the tart shell until golden brown, then remove the parchment paper and beads to allow the crust to crisp up.

Once your tart shell has cooled, Carefully spoon the cooled vanilla pastry cream into the tart shell, ensuring a smooth and even layer across the surface. Arrange your selection of fresh fruits in a circular pattern on top of the pastry cream. For a final touch and to seal the fruit in a bit, gently warm some apricot jam in a small saucepan and brush the apricot glaze over the fruit topping. 

Once assembled,  your Tarte Aux Fruits should chill in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour, or preferably overnight, for the flavors to meld and the filling to fully set. 

Want to make a “Tarte aux Fraises” or Strawberry Tarts?

Simply arrange only strawberries on top of the custard and brush with strawberry jam. 

What are the best fruits to use for Fresh Fruit Tarts?

• Kiwi Slices
• Fresh Berries
• Mandarin Oranges

Other French inspired desserts:

• Chocolate Croissants
• Almond Croissants
• Paris Brest

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Tarte Aux Fruits

Yield: 1- 10 inch tart

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Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 stick of butter, cold, chopped into pieces
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/8 cup ice water

Pastry Cream:

• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or 1 scraped vanilla bean
• Fresh fruit for topping. (I used, Strawberries, Kiwi, Mandarin Oranges, Raspberries and Blueberries)
• 3/4 cup Apricot Jam (optional)

Instructions

To make pastry:

In a food processor, mix the flour and sugar together for a few seconds. Add the butter and process for a 20-30 seconds until coarse crumbs form. With the machine running add the yolk and ice water until dough comes together. Form into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap- chill for at least an hour.

Roll pastry large enough to cover base and sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan sprayed with Baker's Joy; trim edges; place sheet of foil into pastry and fill with pie weights (or dried beans); bake 20-25 minutes at 375F. Remove foil and beans and bake a further 5 minutes; allow to cool.

For pastry cream:

In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, sugar, and cornstarch. When the milk comes to a boil, slowly stream it into the bowl while mixing constantly so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly until cream is thick and bubbling like lava.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using.

For the glaze*:

Mix 2 tablespoons of water with the jam and heat in a small saucepan until it becomes thin and liquid-y.

To assemble:

Spread chilled pastry cream into the cooled crust.

Arrange fruit over the filling. (The fun part!!) Using a pastry brush, spread the glaze generously over the fruit to seal it in.

Serve day of making as if you wait too long the colors from the berries may bleed onto the filling and not look as pretty. Refrigerate any leftovers!

Notes

*the glaze is optional. I didn't use it this time because I thought I had some apricot jam but actually didn't. It adds a little extra sweetness and seals the fruit in.

Crust recipe from Martha Stewart

Pastry Cream recipe from All Recipes

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