Fresh Fruit Tart

This Fresh Fruit Tart is made with a homemade sugar cookie crust, filled with a sweet vanilla custard then topped with an assortment of fresh seasonal fruit and a thin layer of apricot glaze for a little shine. It's the perfect balance of sweet and tart and is easily one of the most showstopping, eyecatching desserts you can make!

This fresh fruit tart would be right at home in the prettiest pastry shop in Paris, but it's easy to make at home! So the next time you need an extra special dessert for brunch or a bridal shower, this is the recipe to try! The crisp tart shell is made with a sugar cookie dough known as pâte sucrée, which shatters and crumbles for a nice crunch. My homemade pastry cream recipe is so easy to make, even if you've never made one before, and it's the perfect bed for fresh fruits. It's one of those savor-every-bite desserts and totally worth the effort (and the calories)!

Why You'll Love This Fresh Fruit Tart

• Eye-catching dessert for any occasion. The apricot glaze adds a glossy sheen that turns the fruits and berries into little jewels. Their organic shapes and vibrant colors are the perfect contrast to the neat and tidy crust. The whole look is completely balanced, making it an elegant dessert for baby showers, birthday parties, Mother's Day, and other special occasions. 
• Loaded with fresh fruit. Unlike other desserts that rely on cooked fruit purees, jams, and jellies, this classic fruit tart recipe relies on the season's freshest produce. It's incredibly light and refreshing and my favorite way to celebrate summer's abundance!
• Completely from scratch. Every layer of this French fruit tart is made from scratch. Although that might sound intimidating, it's really straightforward. Make and blind bake the tart dough, prepare and chill the pastry cream in the fridge, then assemble and glaze the tart. The secret is to give yourself time so you won't need to rush through the process and follow the step-by-step instructions in the post below!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Fresh Fruit Tart, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• whole milk - for the creamiest texture, you need to use milk with a high-fat percentage. Whole milk is best.
• egg yolks - for the vanilla pastry filling and the sugar cookie crust. Egg yolks thicken the filling and give it a custard-like flavor. It also gives the crust a stronger shell.
• white sugar - for just enough sweetness.
• cornstarch - this will thicken the pastry cream to help it hold its shape in the tart shell.
• unsalted butter - whisk this in right at the end for a luxuriously creamy texture in the filling. For the crust, the butter must be fully softened and at room temperature as it needs to be creamed with the sugar.
• vanilla extract - to really highlight the vanilla flavor, use a high quality extract or vanilla bean paste. 
• pinch of salt
• all purpose flour - for the crust.
• fresh fruits - use the freshest blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and strawberries. Wash well and dry. Pit any cherries and remove the strawberry tops for easy serving.
• apricot jam - this will be mixed with water for the tart glaze, which keeps the fruits fresh and adds a gorgeous glossy sheen. Either apricot preserves or jam will work.
• water

Baking Tools

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

• measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale)
• medium saucepan
• whisk
• sift
• strainer
• plastic wrap
• mixing bowls
• hand or stand mixer
• rolling pin
• tart pan with removable bottom
• paring knife
• pastry brush

How to Make the Best Fresh Fruit Tart

First, make the vanilla cream filling.

1. Heat milk. In a medium saucepan, pour in the milk and heat over medium heat until simmering.
2. Combine ingredients. Meanwhile, while milk is heating up, add the egg yolks and sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk rapidly for about 1 minute, or until the mixture looks paler. Sift in the cornstarch, then whisk again until smooth.

3. Add milk. Once the milk is simmering, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the egg mixture, while whisking simultaneously. 
4. Remove lumps. After all of the milk has been added, pour the custard back into the pot through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps.

5. Heat custard. Place the custard back over medium heat, then heat until bubbling. Once bubbling, continue to cook for exactly 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
6. Add remaining ingredients. Add in the butter and vanilla, then whisk to combine. 
7. Chill. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, then place into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Next, make the sugar cookie crust.

1. Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, and salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer until fluffy and pale, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla, then beat again until well-combined.

2. Add in dry ingredients. Add in the flour and beat until combined, and a soft dough comes together (it may seem dry at first, but keep mixing and a dough will eventually form).

3. Chill dough. Use your hands to gather the dough together and shape it into a disc. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
4. Roll dough. After the 30 minute rest, remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out into  a 10.5-inch circle. 

5. Transfer to pan. Carefully transfer the dough into a 9-inch tart pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and along the sides. Use a paring knife to cut off the excess dough.

6. Bake. Place into a 350F preheated oven to bake for 28 minutes. Allow the crust to fully cool before adding the filling.

Finally, assemble the fruit tart.

1. Add custard. When ready to assemble, place the crust onto a serving platter. Spoon the custard into the cooled crust. You can also transfer the crust into a piping bag with a large round tip and pipe the custard into the crust.
2. Add fruit. Arrange the fruit on top of the custard.
3. Add glaze. In a small mixing bowl, combine apricot jam and water. Stir until fully mixed. Use a pastry brush the fruit with the watered-down apricot jam. Keep cool until ready to serve.

How to Serve

This Fresh Fruit Tart is delicious served any time of the year, but is especially good when fresh fruit and berries are in season. Serve it on its own or pair with other seasonal sweets including:

• Strawberry Crumb Bars
• Blueberry Buckle Cake
• Cherry Cheesecake
• No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
• Lemon Drop Cookies (Anginetti)
• Strawberry Shortcake

For more recipes, see our 40 Best Summer Desserts.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store any leftover tart in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It's best to use a container instead of plastic wrap, as the apricot glaze may stick to the plastic. After about 2 days, the crust will start to soften and lose its snap.

How to Freeze

The tart shell can be baked and frozen in advance, and so can the creamy vanilla custard, but not the fruits. They should only be served fresh. It's best to assemble the freeze the tart shell and custard separately, then assemble and glaze right before serving.

FAQ

More Fruit Pie Recipes

• 25 Easy Pie Recipes
• Fresh Strawberry Pie
• Key Lime Pie
• Banana Cream Pie
• Classic Blueberry Pie with Lattice Top
• Lemon Meringue Pie

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