Fruit tart with custard and strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, and peaches
Yield: 8 Servings

Classic Fruit Tart with Custard Filling

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

This classic fruit tart is made with a buttery shortbread tart shell, a custard filling made with vanilla pastry cream, and topped with fresh fruits and a fruit glaze. This is the kind of tart you would find in a French pastry shop but you can make it right at home!

Ingredients

For the Custard

  • 1/4 cup (50 gr) granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 TBSP (14 gr) cornstarch
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
  • 1/3 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
  • 1 TBSP (14 gr) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Shortbread Crust

  • 1/2 cup (112 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (65 gr) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup + 2 TBSP (134 gr) all-purpose flour

For the Fruit & Glaze

  • 1/2 cup (125 gr) jelly or jam (apricot is traditional but red currant, strawberry, or apple can be used)
  • 1 TBSP (14 ml) water or orange liqueur
  • about 4 cups of fruit (a variety of fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and kiwi works well)

Instructions

Make the Custard (can be done up to 24 hrs before assembling)

  1. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar either with a whisk or an electric mixer until foamy and about double in size. Whisk the cornstarch and salt into the egg/sugar mixture.
  2. In a saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla until they come to a boil. Slowly pour about half of the milk into the egg/cornstarch mixture while whisking continuously. It can be helpful to nestle the mixing bowl in a damp kitchen towel to stabilize the bowl so you can whisk with one hand.
  3. Pour the milk/egg mixture back into the pot with the remainder of the milk and cook over medium/low heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
  4. Pour the hot custard through a fine mesh sieve. Add the cold butter and whisk in. Place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the custard and refrigerate until completely chilled before using, about 2 hours.

Make the Shortbread Crust

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Prepare 9" (23 cm) round or an 14 x 4.5" (35.5 x 11.4 cm) rectangular tart pan with non-stick spray.
  2. In the bowl or a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix together all of the ingredients at once. The mixture will be very crumbly. Using damp hands, transfer the dough crumbs into the prepared dish and pat down evenly. Use a fork to dock the dough all over.
  3. Bake on the middle rack at 350 F (177 C) for 30-33 minutes until the crust is completely cooked and let cool completely.

Prepare the Fruit and Fruit Glaze

  1. Wash and slice the fruit you have selected for your tart.
  2. Combine the jelly or jam in a small saucepan with the water or liqueur. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is liquefied. If you used jam, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps or seeds.

Assemble

  1. No more than 24 hours before serving, assemble the tart. Spread the pastry cream over the tart shell. Arrange the fruit over the top in a pretty pattern. Lightly brush the top of the tart with the fruit glaze. Alternatively, you can toss the fruit in the glaze before arranging it over the tart.
  2. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the best quality, eat the tart within 24 hours.

Notes

  • This can be made in a 14 x 4.5" (35.5 x 11.4 cm) rectangular tart pan like the one pictured, or in a 9" (23 cm) round tart pan. You can also make it as mini tarts using 3- 5" or 5- 4" tart pans.

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350