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Irresistible Spring Fruit Tart Recipe with Easy Silky Pastry Cream

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A fresh and vibrant spring fruit tart featuring a buttery crust, silky pastry cream, and colorful seasonal fruits, perfect for gatherings or quiet treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¼ cups (160g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • ⅓ cup (70g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1–2 tablespoons ice water, as needed
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
  • ⅔ cup (130g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1 cup kiwi, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup apricot halves or peach slices
  • Optional: fresh mint leaves for garnish
  • ¼ cup apricot jam, warmed and strained

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add ½ cup cold, cubed butter and blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add 1 large egg yolk and 1 tablespoon ice water to the flour mixture. Stir gently to bring dough together. Add another teaspoon water if dry. Form into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  3. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups whole milk over medium heat until steaming (about 5 minutes). Whisk together ⅔ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, and 4 egg yolks until smooth and pale.
  4. Slowly pour about ½ cup hot milk into egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper eggs. Pour mixture back into saucepan with remaining milk.
  5. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and gently boiling (5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  6. Pour pastry cream into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed on surface to prevent skin, and chill for at least 1 hour.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out chilled dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to tart pan, press into edges, and trim excess.
  8. Prick crust bottom with fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, bake another 10 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
  9. Spread chilled pastry cream evenly over crust.
  10. Arrange sliced fruits on top starting with larger pieces, then berries and kiwi. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.
  11. Warm ¼ cup apricot jam until runny. Gently brush glaze over fruit to add shine and seal moisture.
  12. Chill tart for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Keep ingredients cold for a flakier crust. Temper eggs slowly to avoid scrambling. Use a fine sieve to ensure silky pastry cream. Cover crust edges with foil if browning too fast. Brush fruit with warm apricot jam to add shine and seal moisture. Chill pastry cream and dough as directed for best texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: spring fruit tart, pastry cream, fruit tart recipe, easy dessert, seasonal fruit dessert, buttery crust, silky pastry cream

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