Each bite of this fresh fruit tart is a mix of crumbly sweet crust, smooth and decadent custard and juicy fresh berries! This is the perfect refreshing treat for warmer weather!

Fruit tart on the countertop.

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Fruit Custard Tart

This fruit custard tart recipe is an elegant dessert to make for any event from a baby or bridal shower to graduation or for a 4th of July dessert. It always makes me feel like a French pastry chef and each bite is a mix of sweet pastry crust, decadent custard filling and juicy berries!

One of the things I love about spring and summer is the abundance of fresh, juicy produce that’s just waiting to be transformed into delightful treats. This fresh fruit tart is a great way to showcase the vibrant colors as well as my fruit platter recipe!

Making crust and custard for a fruit tart.

Ingredients

Scroll down for the full printable recipe.

  • Flour: I use all purpose flour.
  • Sugar: This is what makes the custard sweet.
  • Salt: The little bit of salt brings all the flavors together.
  • Butter: I’m using unsalted for this crust.
  • Eggs: You’ll use the whole egg for the crust and just egg yolks for the custard.
  • Milk: You’ll want to use whole milk here.
  • Cornstarch: This acts as a thickening agent for the custard.
  • Vanilla: I love to use pure vanilla extract for ultimate flavor.
  • Fresh fruit: We love to top with fresh berries and kiwi, but you can top with whichever fruit is in season.

How to Make a Fruit Tart

It takes a bit of advance planning since both the tart crust and pastry cream need time to chill, but each step is simple and straightforward. When it’s time to assemble, the fruit tart comes together quickly and looks beautifully impressive.

Crust

  1. Make dough. In a blender or food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt and butter until butter pieces are no bigger than pea size. Add the egg and pulse until dough starts to clump together. Add milk as needed to help the dough come together. Shape into a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Shape in pan. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 10 inch tart pan. Roll the dough out on a floured surface, so that it’s size it’s slightly bigger than the tart pan and is about 1/4 inch thick. Then press dough onto bottom of pan and form up the sides. Pierce the dough several times with a fork.
  3. Bake in oven. Bake crust for 18 to 22 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely.

Custard

  1. Mix and thicken. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch and salt until well combined and no lumps remain. Then whisk in the milk until well combined. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla.
  2. Pour into crust. Next add in each piece of butter separately, whisking until completely melted before adding the next piece. Pour the hot mixture on top of your cooled tart crust and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top. Refrigerate for two hours, or until custard is chilled through.

Assembling

  1. Add fruit on top. To assemble, simply top with fresh fruit like strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries or even a fresh peach pie filling. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Slice of fruit tart on plate.

Decorations

Fruit tarts are so fun and easy to decorate! You can make it as simple or intricate as you want. I love to add all my different types of fruit in a circular pattern starting around the edges. You could even sprinkle on some powdered sugar, shredded coconut or top with a fruit glaze.

I love to decorate with red and blueberries to celebrate 4th of July, similar to my flag fruit pizza. It’s so fun and festive!

Recipe FAQs

What are the best fruits for a tart?

I find for the best taste use whatever is in season if possible as well as pick a variety to add both color and texture. You could stick to a theme with tropical fruits like mango, kiwi and starfruit or do citrus themed and have berries with mandarin oranges or clementines. I would not use bananas as they are prone to browning quickly. If you would like to use pears or apples, it’s best to follow this apple tart recipe instead.

Can I make mini fruit tarts?

Yes! To make the smaller version, you’ll prepare the dough and custard as instructed – however the assembly will be a bit different. Instead of using a big tart pan, you’ll use a greased muffin pan by rolling out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and then cutting into shapes that are slightly larger than the muffin well. Press dough into each muffin cavity and prick with a fork before baking about 18 minutes. Cool and then assemble with pastry cream and berries.

Can I make a tart ahead of time?

Yes, you can easily make this recipe ahead of time. I would just recommend waiting to assemble it until the day of serving. Simply bake your tart crust, then let cool and tightly cover with foil.

You can also make your custard ahead of time as well. Then cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in fridge until ready to use. When ready to assemble, simply pour custard in tart shell and decorate with fruit on top.

How do I prevent the bottom crust from being soggy?

To keep the tart shell crisp it is baked first which prevents it from getting soggy. The crust will soften as it sits in the fridge, so if you are making this fruit tart in advance, wait to assemble until the day of the event.

How long does it last in the fridge?

It will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days. To store, simply cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge until ready to enjoy again.

Fruit tart in a white dish.

If you love this French dessert with fruit, you will also love these mini fruit tarts, fruit pizza and beignets.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

Fruit tart in a white dish.

Fruit Tart Recipe

4.95 from 19 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours
Servings: 12
Each bite of this fresh fruit tart is a mix of crumbly sweet crust, smooth and decadent custard and juicy fresh berries! This is the perfect refreshing treat for warmer weather!
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Video

Ingredients 

For the Crust:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter , cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tablespoon milk , more as needed

For the Custard:

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk , at room temp (do not substitute)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 Tablespoons butter , cut into tablespoon sized pieces

To Assemble:

  • Fresh fruit of your choice

Instructions

For the Crust:

  • In a blender or food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt and butter until the butter pieces are no bigger than pea size. Add the egg and pulse until the dough starts to clump together. Add milk as needed to help the dough come together. Shape into a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 10 inch tart pan. Allow the dough to sit for a few minutes to soften slightly and then roll the dough out on a floured surface. The size should be slightly bigger than the tart pan and is about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Then press dough onto bottom of pan and form up the sides. Pierce the dough several times with a fork. 
  • Bake crust for 18 to 22 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely.

For the Custard:

  • In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, corn starch and salt until well combined and no lumps remain. Then whisk in the milk until well combined. Heat the mixture over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the custard has thickened. Make sure to keep stirring the entire time so it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. 
  • Next add in each piece of butter separately, whisking until completely melted before adding the next piece. Pour the hot mixture on top of your cooled tart crust and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top. Refrigerate for two hours, or until custard is chilled through.

To Assemble:

  • Top with fresh fruit like strawberries, kiwi, raspberries and blueberries. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

To make small fruit tarts as shown in video: 
  1. Prepare the dough and custard as instructed – however use a greased muffin pan instead of a tart pan for the crust. 
  2. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick, then use a cookie cutter to cut dough into scalloped circles that are slightly larger than the wells of your muffin pan.
  3. Press the circles into the bottom of the muffin cups and pierce several times with a fork. Bake for 15­-18 minutes, or until lightly golden.
  4. Let cool completely, then add in custard and top with fruit. This recipe makes enough for 12 smaller tarts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece, Calories: 273kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 365mg, Potassium: 74mg, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 510IU, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1.2mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe contributed by Alicia from The Baker Upstairs for I Heart Naptime.