Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream
User Reviews
4.5
78 reviews
Excellent
Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream
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This fresh fruit tart features a crisp, buttery crust filled with smooth, vanilla-infused pastry cream made from half-and-half, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. The topping combines sliced kiwi, raspberries, and blueberries arranged over the cream for a fresh, colorful presentation. The crust is enriched with egg yolk, cream, and vanilla, while the pastry cream is cooked to a thick, glossy texture and strained for smoothness.
Description
Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream begins with a tender crust made from flour, powdered sugar, cold butter, egg yolk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. The crust is chilled and baked until just golden, forming a firm shell. The pastry cream filling is prepared by gently heating half-and-half with sugar and salt, then tempering it with a mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. The cream is cooked until thick and glossy, then strained to remove lumps and ensure smoothness. Butter and vanilla are added for richness and flavor.
Once the crust is cooled, it’s filled with the cooled pastry cream, then topped with fresh fruit slices—kiwi cut into half-circles, whole raspberries, and blueberries—to create a visually appealing, fresh-tasting dessert. The balance of the crispy crust, smooth cream, and bright fruit textures creates a classic French-style tart.
This tart is ideal for serving as a light dessert on warm days or special occasions, providing a pleasing mix of creamy and fresh fruit flavors. It should be refrigerated until serving to keep the cream stable and the fruit fresh.
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Ingredients
For the Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups half-and-half
- ½ cup granulated sugar divided
- Pinch salt
- 5 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces, cold unsalted
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Crust:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter cut into ½-inch cubes, cold unsalted
For the Fruit:
- 2 kiwi halved lengthwise, and cut into half-circles about 3/8 inch thick
- 2 cups raspberries about 9 ounces
- 1 cup blueberries (about 5 ounces )
Instructions
- Make the Pastry Cream: Heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
- When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into the yolk mixture to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
- Make the Crust: Whisk together the yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bow; set aside. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and process briefly to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; process to cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. With the machine running, add the egg mixture and process until the dough just comes together, about 12 seconds. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until workable). Unwrap and roll out between 2 lightly floured large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to a 13-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9- to 9½-inch tart pan. Ease the dough into the pan corners and press the dough against the fluted sides of the pan. If some sections of the edge are too thin, reinforce them by folding the excess dough back on itself. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to remove the excess dough. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough all over with a fork. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes. (The dough-lined tart pan can be sealed in a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag and frozen up to 1 month.)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet, press a square of foil into the frozen tart shell and over the edge, and fill with metal or ceramic pie weights. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil and weights. Continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Set the baking sheet with the tart shell on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
- Assemble the Tart: Spread the cold pastry cream over the bottom of the tart shell, using an offset spatula or large spoon. Arrange the kiwi slices in an overlapping circle around the inside edge of the pastry. Arrange the raspberries in rings just inside the kiwi. Mound the blueberries in the center. (The tart can be refrigerated, uncovered, up to 30 minutes.) Remove the outer ring of the tart pan and place the tart onto a serving platter; serve.
Notes
- Use cold unsalted butter cut into cubes for the crust to create a flaky texture.
- Strain the pastry cream after cooking to achieve a smooth filling without lumps.
- Arrange fruit just before serving to keep it fresh and prevent sogginess.
- Refrigerate the tart until ready to serve to maintain pastry cream stability and fruit freshness.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
491kcal
(25%)
Carbohydrates
52g
(17%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
16g
(80%)
Cholesterol
216mg
(72%)
Sodium
112mg
(5%)
Potassium
242mg
(5%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
27g
(54%)
Vitamin A
1000IU
(20%)
Vitamin C
31.3mg
(35%)
Calcium
104mg
(10%)
Iron
1.6mg
(9%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8to 10 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 491 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 491kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 52g | 17% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Cholesterol | 216mg | 72% |
| Sodium | 112mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 242mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 1000IU | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 31.3mg | 35% |
| Calcium | 104mg | 10% |
| Iron | 1.6mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
78 reviews
Excellent
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