Desserts Pies LGBT Recipes French Fruit Tart

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This French Fruit Tart is everything delicious, all wrapped into one light and crispy tart. A rainbow of fresh fruit sitting on top of silky-smooth vanilla bean French pastry cream.

Close up shot of french Fruit Tart.

Table of Contents

My favourite thing…

My favourite thing about the French Fruit Tart is how simple but tasty it is. The fruit on top is a delicious addition and I love ho colourful it is! But you know what my favourite thing is? The little black vanilla bean specs. I love seeing that in desserts!

What does this French Fruit Tart taste like?

The tart itself is not actually very sweet. The crust is delicate but not too crumbly. The pastry cream filling is soft and silky but holds its shape well and the fruit on top helps add colour and flavour. It’s a simple idea but when it all comes together a magnificent treat!

What you need for the French Fruit Tart

All-purpose flour – This is sometimes also known as

Powdered sugar – Using powdered sugar as opposed to caster or granulated results in a much finer biscuit crumb which is what you’re after with this tart. A delicious and delicate tart crust!

Vanilla extract – Don’t skimp on good vanilla. Use home-made or buy a really good quality one. A little goes a long way.

Unsalted butter – if using salted butter, simply leave the salt out of the recipe.

Egg yolks – Egg yolks are used in the crust to create a rich tart crust and in the French pastry cream to help thicken it and give it a rich flavour as well.

Whole milk – you may also use skim milk if you wish. If you only have plant-based milk, you can use that instead, however it will alter the flavour of the pastry cream.

Heavy cream – You want to use cream that’s used for whipping. It must have at least 30% fat content.

Caster sugar – This is also known as superfine sugar. You want to avoid using granulated sugar if you can get superfine sugar. You can even make your own superfine sugar from granulated sugar using a food blender!

Salt – I used fine salt.

Corn starch – This is also known as arrowroot powder and is used to thicken the pastry cream.

Vanilla bean paste – this is really strong in flavour and will add those iconic little black vanilla bean specs in your pastry cream letting people know you rich honey. You use good quality vanilla.

Fruit – This is where you can get creative. I used:

kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
strawberries, cleaned dried and sliced in half
mandarin, peeled and segmented
raspberries, washed and dried
blueberries, washed and dried.

But you can use any type of fruit you like! Mango anyone?

How to make the tart

Crust

1. Add the flour, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to the bowl of a food processor and blitz for 20 seconds to combine.

2. Next, add the butter and pulse until you reach lentil sized pieces.

3. Lastly, add the egg yolks and blitz until small clumps of dough form.

4. Turn the crumbly mixture out your workbench and bunch it together (without kneading).

5. Form a rough disc shape and then wrap in plastic. Chill for 60 minutes.

6. Dust your workbench with flour.

7. Use a rolling pin to roll out to 14 inches wide.

8. Carefully roll over the rolling pin

9. Transfer and unroll over a 9-inch tart tin with removable bottom.

10. Carefully lift the dough over the tart to allow it to naturally fall into the corns of the tart.

11. Use the rolling pin to cut the excess pastry away.

12. Use a fork to prick holes into the dough.

13. Place the tart tin on a baking tray. Scrunch up a large piece of baking paper and then un-scrunch it. Place on the inside of the tart tin.

14. Fill with baking beads. I used dried chickpeas. Bake for 15 minutes.

15. Take it out of the oven, carefully lift out the beads using the corners of the baking paper and bake on 150°C / 300°F for a further 10 minutes.

16. Once baked, allow to cool completely.

Pastry Cream

1. Add the milk, cream and a 1/4 cup of sugar into a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil on medium heat then take off the heat.

2. Add the egg yolks, remaining sugar, corn starch, salt and vanilla bean paste to a small mixing bowl. Use whisk to mix until well combined.

3. Add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture.

4. Whisk to combine.

5. Add the milk egg mixture to the pot with the milk and whisk to combine.

6. Place back on medium heat and whisk until thick.

7. You should be able to run your finger across the back of a spoon and it will not come back together.

8. Add the butter.

9. Whisk in until completely melted into the pastry cream.

10. Transfer to a medium sized bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to cool completely.

Let’s decorate!

1. Add the custard in the tart shell.

2. Spread around using a spatula and get it as smooth as you can.

3. Once chilled, Arrange the fruits on top.

4. Brush with the apple or pineapple conserve on top.

Tips for making the French Fruit Tart!

Make sure you decorate it with fruit only an hour before you serve it. The fruit can sometimes cause the pastry cream to look split.
if you want to prepare as much as possible in advance, the fruits can be sliced and prepped a day in advance, simply store in separate airtight containers, in the fridge before adding to the tart.

Other Recipes You Might Like!

Easy Passionfruit Banana Bread – Easy, delicious banana bread with cream cheese frosting, topped with fresh passionfruit pulp!

Strawberry Mango Margarita Cupcakes – Easy, cocktail inspired cupcakes!

Black Forest Tart – Indulgent chocolate and cherry tart!

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I hope you guys enjoyed this simple but delicious French Fruit Tart with me. Please comment in the comments section below, or feel free to share with your family and friends on social media. I’ll see you all on the following recipe. Happy baking!

N x

French Fruit Tart

My favourite thing…

What does this French Fruit Tart taste like?

What you need for the French Fruit Tart