Patisserie Fruit Tart Recipe Easy Homemade Vanilla Pastry Cream Delight
A classic French patisserie fruit tart featuring a flaky buttery crust, silky homemade vanilla pastry cream, and a vibrant fresh fruit topping with a glossy apricot glaze. Perfect for special occasions or weekend baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (600ml) whole milk
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (32g) cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 1 cup (about 150g) fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
- 1 medium kiwi, sliced
- 1 medium peach or nectarine, sliced
- ¼ cup (80g) apricot jam, warmed
Instructions
- Make the Tart Dough (15 minutes + chilling): In a food processor or mixing bowl, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and pulse or cut in with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix just until dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat and Prepare Pan (5 minutes): Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to fit your 9-inch tart pan. Press into the pan gently, trimming excess. Prick the bottom with a fork to prevent puffing.
- Blind Bake the Crust (20-25 minutes): Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and paper, bake another 8-10 minutes until golden and set. Cool completely before filling.
- Prepare Vanilla Pastry Cream (20 minutes + chilling): In a saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean seeds (and pod) just to a simmer. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla extract if using. Strain through a sieve into a bowl f…
- Assemble the Tart (15 minutes): Spread chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled tart shell. Arrange fresh fruit beautifully on top—think concentric circles or a colorful mosaic. Warm apricot jam in a small saucepan or microwave, strain if needed, and brush gently over the fruit to glaze.
- Chill and Serve (at least 1 hour): Refrigerate the assembled tart to set the glaze and cream. Serve chilled for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
[‘Keep the butter cold when making the dough to ensure flakiness.’, ‘Blind bake the crust to prevent sogginess.’, ‘Temper eggs carefully when making pastry cream to avoid scrambling.’, ‘Strain pastry cream for a silky smooth texture.’, ‘Press plastic wrap directly on pastry cream to prevent skin formation.’, ‘Use firm, ripe fruit to avoid mushy topping.’, ‘Brush glaze gently to avoid sliding fruit.’, ‘If crust cracks while rolling, chill again and patch with a little water.’]
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of t
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: patisserie fruit tart, vanilla pastry cream, homemade tart, fruit tart recipe, French dessert, flaky tart crust, fresh fruit tart, apricot glaze