Fruit Tart Recipes

FRESH FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream. In the bowl of a food processor with a blade attachment, pulse the flour, butter, sugar and salt until no big chunks of butter remain. Slowly add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture. Blend to combine but don't overwork the dough.
• Remove the dough and, turning it out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it 4 or 5 times to incorporate.
• Divide the dough in half if making one large tart. Divide the dough into four pieces if making mini tarts. Flatten the dough pieces into discs with your hands, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. (Freeze any remaining pieces for another project for up to 3 months.)
• Make the pastry cream: Put a damp kitchen towel under a medium bowl and whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the sugar until the yolks are lighter in color, about 2 minutes. (The towel will ensure the bowl doesn't slide around.) Add the cornstarch and salt, whisk again, and set the bowl aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the remaining sugar 1/4 cup sugar and cook until the mixture almost boils, 4 to 5 minutes. With one hand, start whisking the egg yolk mixture; with the other hand, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the bowl, whisking until all the milk is incorporated.
• Pour the custard back into the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring constantly, on medium-high heat, until the mixture is thick and one bubble plops up on top, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the custard from the heat and pour into a clean medium bowl. Don't scrape the pot if the bottom looks burned or like scrambled eggs. Now, stir in the butter and vanilla. Keep stirring until the butter melts. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl so it is touching the pastry cream, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Bake the tart shell or shells: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a circle (about 9 inches across and 1/2 inch thick for one large tart and about 6 inches across and 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick for four mini tarts.
• Lay the dough onto the tart pan, and then using your fingers, gently press it down. Try not to tear the dough or make it too thin. Ideally, it should be an even thickness all the way across.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully trim the edges so the dough is perfectly even with the top of the tart shell (see Cook's Note). Place the tart shell on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a fork, poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of the tart shell to keep bubbles from forming during baking. Refrigerate the tart shell for 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tart shells if using.
• Remove the pan or pans from the fridge and lay a piece of parchment over the chilled dough. Fill the uncooked tart shell with pie weights or dried beans or uncooked rice.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then, using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Return the baking sheet to the oven, continuing to bake until the crust is golden brown, 5 to 8 more minutes. Let the pan or pans cool on a wire rack.
• Make the glaze and finish the tart: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the apricot jam and water. Stir with a fork as it cooks until the mixture is a thin, shiny liquid, about 3 minutes.
• Take the pastry cream from the fridge and, in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat the pastry cream to loosen it up. Spread the pastry cream in a thin 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer on the bottom of the tart shell.
• Carefully cut the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, mangos and figs. Arrange the fruit so there is no visible pastry cream. (You can make the tart look awesome by laying the fruit in cool patterns.)
• Once the fruit is arranged, use a soft pastry brush to paint it with the warm apricot glaze. Don't leave any bare spots. Make sure to glaze all the fruit. Take your time.
• Cut and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

FRUIT TART

Steps:

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing into edges. Using a sharp paring knife, trim dough flush with pan. Chill tart shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are just beginning to turn golden, about 40 minutes. Remove parchment paper and weights; continue baking until deep golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool tart shell completely on wire rack.
• Meanwhile, place heavy cream and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat until soft peaks form. Working in batches, gently fold whipped cream into pastry cream; set aside.
• Place jelly or jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. Set glaze aside to cool slightly.
• Spoon pastry cream mixture into cooled tart shell and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Top with berries; brush berries with glaze. Tart is best served the day it is made.

VANILLA CUSTARD FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Process the flour and butter in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.
• With the motor running, add the water and lemon zest through the feed tube and process until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
• Gather the dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or just until firm enough to roll out. If not using immediately, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze up to three months.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the flour and butter into a medium bowl.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add the water and lemon zest. Stir until the dough holds together.
• Gather the dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or just until firm enough to roll out. If not using immediately, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze up to three months.
• Press the prepared tart dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9- or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes until very firm.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the tart shell at 1-inch intervals.
• Line the pastry snugly with foil.
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes until crust is set and just beginning to brown.
• Remove the foil and bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 additional minutes. Set the crust on a wire rack and cool completely.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in the milk until the mixture has a smooth texture. Make sure the whisk reaches the corners of the pan.
• Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and, whisking constantly, boil for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks.
• Gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture.
• Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and, whisking constantly, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thicker. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the butter and vanilla and stir until the butter is melted.
• Strain the custard through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl.
• Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
• Gather the shell, custard, fruit, and preserve.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the preserve until slightly thinner in consistency, about 5 minutes.
• ​ Stir the chilled custard and spread it into the prepared crust.
• Top with the fresh fruit of your choice.
• Brush the fruit with the preserve. Serve the tart right away or refrigerate, covered, for up to 24 hours. Enjoy.

NO-FUSS FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Process the biscuits and the butter to a sandy rubble and press into the sides and bottom of a deep-sided fluted tart tin approx. 25cm diameter x 4-5cm deep / 10inch diameter x 2 inches deep with a loose base. Place in the freezer (or fridge if that is not possible) for about 10-15 minutes. In a clean processor bowl, process the cream cheese and lemon curd (or just mix by hand) and spread into the bottom of the chilled tart tin, covering the base evenly. Arrange the fruit gently (so it doesn't sink in too much) on top of the lemony cream cheese in a decorative manner, leaving some of the strawberries unhulled, with their picturesque stalks attached. Place the tart in the fridge, preferably overnight, though for at least 4 hours. It does need to get properly cold in order to set enough for the tart to be unsprung and sliced easily.

MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Stir flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces the size of small peas. Mix in water with a fork just until the dough comes together.
• Toss berries, sugar, flour, and salt together in a bowl to make the filling. Set aside at room temperature.
• Lightly butter or grease 14 muffin cups. Place some dough in each muffin cup and press it against the bottoms and sides to create tart shells that are 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Divide berry filling evenly among the tart shells.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Refrigerate tarts for 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
• Bake tarts in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes.

MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and butter. Mix on the lowest setting until the butter gets broken down into smaller pieces, about one minute of mixing. Add the egg yolks one at a time, then add the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
• Mix on medium (setting 4 or 6) for about two minutes or until the mixture begins to look like crumbly sand. Test the dough by stopping the mixer and pinching some sandy dough between your fingers. If it sticks to itself and forms a piece of dough, you're ready to knead. If it's too dry, try adding one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time to adjust. (See image for how final dough consistency should be after mixing.)
• Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer and use your hand to form the sand into a ball of dough. I like to do this in the bowl because it's less of a mess.
• Scoop about three tablespoons of dough and use your hands to mold and flatten the dough straight into the tart molds. (Three tablespoons is about 60 grams of dough for a four-inch tart mold).
• Use a fork to prick throughout the bottom of each tart mold.
• Chill the tarts in the molds in the freezer for at least one hour before baking, this will prevent the dough melting too much or shrinking in the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Take your tarts straight from the freezer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. TIP: At around 8 minutes, check on your tarts to see if their centers are rising. If they are rising, you can open the oven and use a measuring cup to flatten the centers with a tiny bit of pressure. Continue to bake them until you see the edges begin to brown, then remove from the oven.
• Remove the tart shells from the molds and cool them on a rack. The finished shells should be slightly hard to the touch. If you press the centers and they feel soft or there is some flex when you hold them up, they need to be placed back in their molds to continue baking for a few more minutes (make sure to watch these as they finish cooking).
• These tart shells can be pre-made a few days before assembly, just make sure to fridge them after they cool.
• While your tart shells are chilling in the freezer, you can make the custard. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.
• Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Whisk in the sifted flour and cornstarch to the egg yolk mixture.
• Add the whole milk and vanilla extract into the egg yolk mixture.
• Move the custard mixture into a saucepan over medium heat and constantly whisk for about one to two minutes or until it begins to thicken. TIP: You will begin to see little thick specks of custard on the bottom of the pan as it begins to thicken. Do not stop whisking at this point, but if you feel this process is going to fast you can remove the pan off the heat and whisk to blend the custard properly. Your custard is done when the consistency is similar to a thick pudding. This process should take no more than a few minutes. (See image here for how the final consistency should look.)
• Remove it from the pan and place the custard in a container to cool for at least 30 minutes before assembly. This custard can be made a day in advance and fridged.
• Slice your preferred fruit. I like strawberries, blackberries, and kiwi.
• Glaze: Add apricot jelly and water in a small bowl. Microwave for about 10-15 seconds to melt the apricot jelly slightly, and mix together using a spoon. Strain the jelly mixture.
• TIP: To prevent your tarts from getting soggy, brush on some glaze to the tart before adding the custard filling. This should act as a barrier.
• Take one shell tart and spoon in the whipped custard cream. I like to add enough custard to fill about ¾ of the tart shell. Arrange your fruit on top however, you prefer. Brush on the apricot glaze over the fruit tart. Serve immediately or chill for about 15 minutes if you want a nice and cold treat.

FRESH FRUIT TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour, cornmeal and lemon juice to form a dough. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Bake at 425° for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack., For filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar and milk until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Arrange berries or fruit over filling. Refrigerate while preparing glaze., For fruit glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, apricot nectar and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Cool; brush over fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Refrigerate leftovers.

EASY FRUIT TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Make the crust: stir together the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sugar. I like stirring with a fork so it's nice and sandy. Pour mixture into a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press into the bottom and up the sides, chill until ready to fill.
• Make the filing: add heavy whipping cream to a large bowl and beat with a hand or a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate while making filling.
• Add cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to another large bowl. Mix using a hand or a stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and use a spatula to fold it in. This will take a while, fold it gently being careful not to break the whipped cream. Do not stir or beat, fold it carefully.
• Press filling into prepared crust. Chill while preparing fruit. Don't top with fruit until within a few hours of serving.
• Slice fruit and arrange on top of cheesecake. Add the jam to a small bowl and microwave until smooth, about 30 seconds, then stir in the lime juice or water. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over the fruit to make it shiny.
• Serve chilled within one day. You can make the cheesecake up to 24 hours ahead, just don't top it until the day of serving.

CLASSIC FRENCH FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Make the Crust: Complete the pâte sucrée through baking and cooling.
• Make the Pastry Cream: In a medium pot, heat the milk until just boiling. Remove the pot from heat. While the milk is warming, in a heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Whisk until the mixture is very smooth and has lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, add about a quarter of the hot milk into the egg mixture. (This is called tempering. Tempering the eggs helps raise their temperature without cooking them, and helps emulsify them into the milk.) Pour the milk-tempered egg mixture into the pot of the remaining milk. Whisk to combine. Return the pot to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent "scrambled eggs," especially on the sides and bottom, until the magic happens and the pastry cream thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla and cook one minute more, whisking constantly. The pastry cream should make thick, lazy bubbles. (See note below if you see any coagulated bits of egg in your custard.) Pour the thickened pastry cream into a clean, shallow bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and push it down in the bowl so it sits directly on the surface of the pastry cream. This prevents a skin from forming on top. Chill until cold, a few hours (or up to 2 days before serving).
• Assemble the Tart: Remove the tart ring and transfer the tart shell to a serving platter. Whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth, then spread it evenly into the tart shell using an offset spatula. Arrange a generous amount of fruit over the pastry cream in your desired design. In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam with 1 tablespoon of water over medium heat, whisking, until thin. (Alternatively, heat it in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds.) If the jam is especially chunky, strain it through a sieve. Use a pastry brush to gently dab the fruit with a thin layer of apricot glaze. Chill until ready to serve.
• Note: Avoid melon and other fruit with high moisture content, like sliced citrus. These will wilt quickly and seep moisture into the pastry cream. Also avoid oxidizing fruit like apples and bananas; these fruits will turn brown. Berries should be fully dried after rinsing (raspberries should not be washed) and strawberries should be sliced.
• Note: If you see any coagulated egg bits in your finished custard, strain the hot pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days before serving. The tart can be assembled and refrigerated up to one day before serving.

10 MINUTE FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Make pudding according to package directions and let stand 5 minutes. Stir orange zest into the pudding. Spread a thin layer of preserves across the bottom of graham cracker crust. Top with pudding. Arrange fruit on pudding, then sprinkle pie with mint, if desired.