Building a Fruit Tart
A proper tart is an exercise in structural integrity. By balancing the crunch of the pastry against the velvet of the cream and the brightness of the fruit, you create a dessert that is as stable as it is clean to slice.
Temperature is your primary tool
Keep your butter cold while mixing the dough to ensure a flaky crust. A warm kitchen will work against you, so chill your tools if the ambient temperature is high.
- 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom
- Rolling pin
- Ceramic pie weights or dried beans
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Offset spatula
What goes in.
- 1.5 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1/3 cuppowdered sugar
- 1large egg yolk
- 1.5 cupswhole milk
- 3large egg yolks
- 1/3 cupgranulated sugar
- 2 tbspcornstarch
- 2 cupsassorted seasonal fruit, sliced
Setting the Shell
Lining the dough with parchment and weights prevents the bottom from puffing up. Bake until the edges turn a pale gold, then remove the weights to toast the base.
The method.
Prepare the dough
Pulse flour, sugar, and cold butter until it looks like coarse meal. Add the yolk and a splash of cold water, mixing just until it clumps. Flatten into a disc and chill for one hour.
Roll and bake
Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Press into the tart pan, trimming the excess. Freeze for 20 minutes before blind baking at 375°F until set and golden.
Cook the pastry cream
Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and yolks. Temper with hot milk, then return to heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens into a heavy custard. Chill covered with plastic wrap touching the surface.
Assembly
Once the shell is cool, spread the pastry cream evenly. Arrange fruit in tight, concentric circles starting from the outer edge.
Other turns to take.
Almond base
Replace a portion of the flour with finely ground almond meal for a nuttier, more fragile crust.
Citrus cream
Whisk lemon or lime zest into the pastry cream immediately after removing it from the heat.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a fine-mesh sieve when passing your pastry cream to ensure there are no cooked egg bits.
If the fruit is particularly juicy, pat it dry with a paper towel before placing it on the cream.
Brush the finished fruit with a light coat of warmed apricot jam to prevent oxidation and add a professional shine.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my tart shell shrink?
The dough was likely rolled too thin or not chilled enough before going into the oven. Always freeze the shaped shell for at least 20 minutes before baking.
Can I assemble this the day before?
The crust will soften significantly if left with cream in it for more than a few hours. Assemble as close to serving as possible.
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