French Fruit Tart
A delightful dessert featuring a crisp pastry shell, velvety pastry cream, and a vibrant assortment of seasonal fruits.
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 0.5 cups heavy cream
- 0.5 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 5 egg yolks
- 8 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into chunks for stirring into the cream
Tart Shell
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar for sweetness
- 1 pinch salt
- 8 tablespoons cold salted butter cut into chunks
- 1 egg yolk for dough binding
- 1 tablespoon cold water for dough binding
Topping
- 0.5 cups warmed apple jelly or apricot preserves for glazing
- 1 assorted seasonal fresh fruits (strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, raspberries, mandarin oranges) for topping
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry Cream
- Heat 1 ½ cups of whole milk and ½ cup of heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in half of the granulated sugar and let it come to a simmer.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth.
- Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then pour back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cold butter until melted.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, and chill until set.
Make the Tart Shell
- In a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Add cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix egg yolk and water in a small bowl, add to flour mixture, and pulse until dough comes together.
- Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick and fit into a tart pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.
Assemble the Tart
- Spread chilled pastry cream evenly in the cooled tart shell.
- Arrange seasonal fruits artfully over the pastry cream.
- Warm apple jelly or apricot preserves and brush over the fruits for a glaze.
Serve and Enjoy
- Slice and serve immediately or refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
Notes
Chill your mixing tools for flakier crust. Feel free to customize fruit selection based on season. Can prepare pastry cream and tart shell a day in advance; assemble before serving.