Fresh Fruit Tart recipe with silky vanilla pastry cream filling, buttery shortbread crust, and beautiful fruit on top - it's simple to make, but always gives the 'wow' factor.
Fruit Tart Recipe Snapshot
What it is: Buttery shortbread tart shell filled with silky pastry cream and topped with fresh fruit and a glossy glaze.
Why you'll love it: Light and indulgent dessert that is customizable and can be made ahead. Full of pastry chef tips to get the texture and consistency just right.
How to make it: Prepare the pastry cream in advance, bake the tart shell, then assemble with fresh fruit just before serving.
This is one of those desserts that always gets a reaction. Every time I bring a fruit tart to a gathering, people assume it's complicated and difficult - but really, it's just the beautiful fruit doing all the work.
It's actually made up of just three simple components: a buttery tart shell, a creamy vanilla custard, and fresh fruit arranged on top. Once you know how to nail a really good pastry cream, it becomes an effortlessly impressive dessert you can throw together without too much thought.
I've shared all my best tips to help you make a pastry cream that's smooth, stable, and perfectly set - so your fruit tart looks showstopping, slices cleanly, and tastes incredible.
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Ingredients
This fruit tart recipe is so customisable - this version uses a homemade shortbread crust, classic creme patissiere, and seasonal berries. But you can switch up the crust, filling, or fruit to make it your own.
- Tart Shell - I made a shortbread crust, but shortcrust pastry or store-bought tart crusts also work great.
- Egg Yolks - The base of the custard filling. Save the whites and use them in a leftover egg white recipe.
- Sugar - Regular white sugar (caster sugar in the UK).
- Milk - Use whole milk (full-fat).
- Vanilla - Use a high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (nice if you want to see specks of vanilla in the custard).
- Cornstarch - To thicken the pastry cream and help it set firmly enough to slice cleanly.
- Butter - Creates a rich and silky vanilla custard.
- Fruit - I used fresh berries, but you can use any kind of fruit you like.
- Apricot Jam - To glaze the fruit, or you can try my strawberry glaze recipe.
See the recipe card for measurements and the full recipe.
Best Fruit To Use
The best fruit to use for a fruit tart is any kind of soft, ripe fruit. If you use anything too firm, it may squish out the custard filling as you slice into it. It's also best to avoid very watery fruits, like melon.
You should consider the look you are going for and what will look pretty when sliced and arranged. Some of my favorite fruits to use are:
- Berries - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
- Stone fruits - peaches, nectarines and plums
- Exotic fruits - mangoes, kiwis.
Things You'll Need
- 9-inch Tart Pan - preferably with a removable bottom
- Saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Whisk
- Pie Weights or uncooked rice (unless you use a pre-baked crust).
- Pastry Brush
How To Make A Fruit Tart
Though it may look fancy AF, this easy fruit tart recipe has just three simple steps:
- Making the vanilla pastry cream
- Baking the tart shell
- Assembling the tart
How To Make The Pastry Cream Filling
This is my classic crème patissiere recipe (vanilla pastry cream). I use it in so many desserts, like my custard cake and cream puffs.
This is the most important part to get right. If it's your first time making custard, you might want to check out my extensive guide to pastry cream.
Scald the Milk
Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until scalding (steam rising and tiny bubbles on the surface). Don't let it boil.
Whisk Eggs
Meanwhile, whisk the Egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl until pale and thick.
Temper the Eggs
Once the milk is scalding hot, slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture a little at a time, whisking in between. This gradually brings up the temperature of the eggs to prevent scrambling.
Thicken the Custard
Once all the milk is incorporated, pour the whole custard mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat, whisking constantly until it reaches a boil with thick, bursting bubbles. Let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes to fully activate the starch.
Enrich with Butter
Pour the pastry cream into a bowl. If there are any lumps in it, you can pass it through a fine-mesh sieve first to remove them. Mix in the vanilla and salt, then add butter in small chunks, letting each piece mix in fully before adding the next.
Cool
Cover with plastic wrap so it's touching the surface of the custard - this stops a skin from forming.
Cool to room temp, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 72 hours.
How To Make The Tart Shell
As this is a fresh fruit tart, it won't be going into the oven, so we need to make sure the tart crust is fully baked before filling. If you are using a pre-baked crust, you can just skip this step.
I used my shortbread crust, which is adapted from my Scottish shortbread recipe, for a buttery flavor and crumbly texture. It can be pressed straight into the tart pan, rather than rolling out, but it should still be blind-baked to ensure a nice crisp crust without shrinking edges.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar together just until combined, then mix in the egg yolk.
- Sift in the flour and mix until it starts to come together into a dough.
- Tip ⅔ of the dough into the tart pan and use your hands to press it into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Use the remaining ⅓ of the dough to form the sides of the tart shell, making sure to press it right into the corners.
- Dock the pastry all over with a fork, and chill for 1 hour.
Blind bake it for 20 minutes. If you haven't done this before, read my post on how to blind bake a tart crust.
- Remove the pie weights and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until fully baked and starting to turn golden brown on the edges.
Let it cool completely before filling.
Assembling A Fresh Fruit Tart
Putting the tart together is simple, and you can be as creative as you like with it. It's best to assemble everything on the day of serving so everything is fresh.
Prepare Fruit
Wash, dry, and slice your fruit.
Fill with Custard
Whisk the pastry cream lightly to bring it back to its creamy texture.
Then spoon it into the cooled crust and spread it out into an even layer.
Arrange Fruit
Arrange the fruit on top of the pastry cream however you like; you can arrange it in a precise pattern, or keep it more relaxed and natural - both look beautiful.
Glaze
Heat the apricot jam for a few seconds in the microwave, then use a pastry brush to brush all over the top of the fruit to give it a shiny, professional finish.
Chill until ready to serve.
Pastry Chef Tip
You can brush the bottom of the crust with a very thin layer of melted chocolate and let it set before filling to form a protective barrier and stop your pastry from going soggy.
How To Arrange The Fruit
There are so many fun ways you can arrange the fruit on your tart. You can be super precise and create an elaborate pattern, or you can casually pile the fruit on top, depending on the look you are going for. Here are some things to consider:
- Have an idea of the design you want to create before you start prepping your fruit.
- Slice the fruit in a way that shows it off best, and try to cut them all roughly the same size.
- Consider the different sizes and shapes of the fruit - e.g. you can fill in the gaps between strawberries with small blueberries.
- If you're unsure what to do, aligning the fruit in concentric circles, starting on the outside, is always a beautiful and effective look.
- Try not to move things around too much once you place them on the tart, as it can start to get messy.
Key Tips For A Perfect Fruit Tart
- Make ahead: Preparing the pastry cream and tart shell ahead of time will make it a lot easier to put this fruit tart together before serving without any stress.
- Bubbling custard: Make sure you let the custard boil with thick, bursting bubbles for at least 1 minute to activate the starch; otherwise, it won't thicken and will ooze out when slicing the tart. I have a full pastry cream guide with detailed steps, expert tips, and troubleshooting.
- Crust thickness: The tart shell should be about ⅛-inch to ¼-inch thickness - try to get it an even thickness all the way around the sides.
- Blind Bake: Don't skip the baking beans; they will stop the sides of the pastry from shrinking in the oven.
- Glazed Fruit - Brushing the fruit with glaze not only gives the tart a shiny, professional finish, but it also helps to keep the fruit looking fresh and stop it from drying out.
Variations
- Mini Fruit Tarts - I actually make this recipe as mini fruit tartlets more often than as a big tart - they look super fancy and are perfect for parties or dessert tables.
- Chocolate Fruit Tart - Chocolate makes everything better - try making a chocolate pastry cream filling and top with sweet strawberries and raspberries.
- Pistachio Fruit Tart - For a luxurious twist, make pistachio pastry cream and sprinkle the fruit with some chopped pistachios.
How To Serve
Remove your tart from the fridge 10-15 minutes before serving.
I like to keep it in the tart pan right up until this point to stop it from getting damaged in the fridge - but maybe that's just because I'm so clumsy!
Use a sharp knife to cut straight down, and drag the tip of the knife all the way along the bottom of the crust to get clean slices.
This dessert really doesn't need anything extra, but if you like, you can serve it with a dollop of chantilly cream or a light drizzle of chocolate ganache.
Storage
It is best to assemble your fresh fruit tart on the day you plan to serve it to avoid soggy pastry and wilting fruit. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days, depending on the freshness of your fruit, but it is best within the first 24 hours.
To Make Ahead
The pastry cream and tart pastry dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to three days. You can also pre-bake the tart crust and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days until ready to assemble.
FAQ
If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
The glaze on the fruit is not just for a shiny finish; it also helps to preserve the fruit and stop it from drying out or starting to look dull. However, it is not essential to the recipe and doesn't add to the flavor, so you can skip it if you prefer.
A fresh fruit tart is typically best when enjoyed on the same day as assembly to keep the fruit fresh and the crust crisp. However, it will still be good to eat for 2-3 days when stored in the fridge, depending on the freshness of the fruit you used on top. The glaze helps the fruit to last a little longer, too.
Show Me Your Bakes!
If you make this recipe, please tag @bonni_bakery on Instagram or send me a photo - I love seeing all your creations.
Want your bake featured on the blog? You can also upload a photo here.
More Light Desserts
If this fresh fruit tart recipe is your jam, you will probably enjoy some of these other light desserts:
Recipe
Fruit Tart Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 Large Egg Yolks
- 100 g (½ cup) Granulated Sugar (Caster Sugar)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) Cornstarch (Cornflour)
- 480 ml (2 cups) Whole Milk
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) Unsalted Butter
- 200 g (1¾ sticks) Salted Butter room temperature
- 90 g (¾ cup) Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar)
- 1 Egg Yolk room temperature
- 300 g (2½ cups) All-purpose Flour (Plain Flour)
- 450 g (3 cups) Fresh Fruit like strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
- 3 tablespoon Apricot Jam to glaze
Equipment
- 9-inch Tart Pan (with a loose bottom)
Instructions
- *As it needs time to cool, it's important to make the pastry cream at least a few hours in advance. You can also make it up to 3 days ahead of time. If this is your first time making pastry cream, you can check out my extensive pastry cream guide for lots of tips and tricks.
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until pale and thick.5 Large Egg Yolks, 100 g (½ cup) Granulated Sugar, 40 g (⅓ cup) Cornstarch
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. This means you can see steam rising from it and tiny bubbles appearing on the surface. Do not let it boil.480 ml (2 cups) Whole Milk
- Once the milk is scalding, slowly drizzle it into the egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking in between. This will bring up the temperature of the eggs slowly so they don't scramble.
- Pour the whole custard mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to thicken and boil with thick, bursting bubbles. Let it bubble for 1-2 minutes. You may need to stop whisking for a few seconds at a time to let it bubble properly - if it doesn't have at least 1 minute of active bubbling then the starches will not be activated and the custard won't set properly.
- Remove from the heat and transfer into a bowl to stop the cooking process - if you have any lumps in the pastry cream you can pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them.
- Stir in the vanilla and salt, then add the butter one small chunk at a time, letting it incorporate fully before each chunk.2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste, ⅛ tsp (⅛ teaspoon) Salt, 30 g (2 tablespoon) Unsalted Butter
- Cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the surface of the custard - this prevents a skin from forming on it. Let it come to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 72 hours, until ready to use.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar together just until smooth - don't try to cream it.200 g (1¾ sticks) Salted Butter, 90 g (¾ cup) Powdered Sugar
- Add the egg yolk and mix until combined.1 Egg Yolk
- Sift in the flour and stir it carefully until it starts to form a dough. Be careful not to overmix.300 g (2½ cups) All-purpose Flour
- Tip roughly ⅔ of the dough into a 9-inch tart pan and use your hands to press it into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Use the remaining ⅓ of the dough to form the sides of the tart - try to make it an even thickness all the way around, and be sure to press right into the bottom corners of the pan to prevent shrinking in the oven.
- Chill the tart crust in the fridge or freezer for at least an hour before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan) and line the tart shell with parchment paper and pie weights for blind baking. If this is your first time using this method, I have a step-by-step tutorial with process pictures on exactly how to blind bake a tart shell.
- Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove the pie weights and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until it is just starting to go light golden brown around the edges. Shortbread crust will be a little paler than other pastry crusts.
- Let the tart cool in the pan completely before filling.
- It is best to assemble your tart as close to serving time as possible for maximum freshness.
- Wash, dry, and slice the fruit.450 g (3 cups) Fresh Fruit
- Take the chilled pastry cream out of the fridge and whisk it gently until smooth to bring back the silky texture.
- Spread the pastry cream into an even layer in the tart crust and smooth the top.
- Arrange the fruit in whatever way you like - this can be an elaborate pattern or a casual pile. I have a section in the post above with tips on choosing how to arrange your fruit.
- Once all the fruit is in place, microwave the apricot jam for a few seconds to melt it, or stir it with a little boiled water. Use a pastry brush to add a thin layer of jam to all of the fruit for a shiny, professional finish.3 tbsp Apricot Jam
Nutrition
Notes
- Make ahead: Preparing the pastry cream and tart shell ahead of time will make it a lot easier to put this fruit tart together before serving without any stress.
- Bubbling custard: Make sure you let the custard boil with thick, bursting bubbles for at least 1 minute to activate the starch; otherwise, it won't thicken and will ooze out when slicing the tart. I have a full pastry cream guide with detailed steps, expert tips, and troubleshooting.
- Crust thickness: The tart shell should be about ⅛-inch to ¼-inch thickness - try to get it an even thickness all the way around the sides.
- Blind Bake: Don't skip the baking beans; they will stop the sides of the pastry from shrinking in the oven.
- Glazed Fruit - Brushing the fruit with glaze not only gives the tart a shiny, professional finish, but it also helps to keep the fruit looking fresh and stop it from drying out.
Fifi Lapin
Amazing recipe!! 🤤 Custard is the best! Thanks ❤️ 😀