Fruit Tart — Ad-Free Recipe, Ingredients First

A fruit tart is three things done right: a crisp blind-baked shell, a thick vanilla pastry cream, and fruit arranged tight. Cook the pastry cream until it bubbles hard for a full minute so the starch loses its raw taste and the filling holds a clean slice.

Vegetarian

Contains dairy · eggs · gluten

Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.

Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).

The Ingredients — and where to get them

Cook for 1 nine-inch tart

Flour

Builds the pate sucree shell; all-purpose gives a crisp, cookie-like crust.

1 1/2 cups

Source it →

Butter

Cold cubes make the crust short and tender rather than tough.

1/2 cup

Source it →

Sugar

Sweetens the crust and the pastry cream.

2/3 cup

Source it →

Egg yolks

Four yolks bind the crust and thicken the pastry cream.

4 eggs

Source it →

Whole milk

The base of the pastry cream; whole milk sets richer than skim.

2 cups

Source it →

Apricot jam

Warmed and brushed over the fruit for a clear shine.

1/4 cup

Source it →

Vanilla extract

Stirred into the cream off the heat so the aroma stays.

2 tsp

Source it →

Fresh fruit

Strawberries, kiwi, and berries arranged tight; buy them ripe and firm.

3 cups

Local / market

Cornstarch

Sets the pastry cream firm enough to slice.

1/4 cup

Local / market

The Rundown

Greedometer ●●●●● A fair little treat

A reasonable little indulgence.

EffortA project

Cook it with

Air fryerSheet pan

The Method

Make the crustCut the butter into the flour and sugar, bind with a yolk, press into the tart pan, and chill 30 min.
Blind-bakeLine with parchment and weights, bake at 375F for 18 min, pull the weights, and bake 8 min more until dry and golden.
Cook the creamWhisk sugar, cornstarch, and yolks, temper in hot milk, and cook until it bubbles hard for one full minute and turns thick.
Chill the creamOff the heat stir in the vanilla, press plastic to the surface, and chill until cold and set.
Fill and topSpread the cream in the cooled shell, arrange the fruit tight on top, and brush warmed jam over the fruit to glaze.

The Toolkit

Tart pan · Pie weights · Heavy saucepan · Whisk · Fine strainer · Pastry brush

Straight Answers

Can you make Fruit Tart in an air fryer? — Yes

Yes — bake it in a small pan or dish that fits the basket, at about 25°F below the recipe temperature. Air fryers run hot and fast, so check it early; no flipping needed.

Can you freeze Fruit Tart? — Yes

Yes — freeze it well-wrapped, then reheat or toast straight from frozen. Frost or glaze after thawing.

Can you make Fruit Tart ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — bake it a day or two ahead; it keeps well-wrapped at room temperature and freezes cleanly. Add any frosting or glaze close to serving.

Is Fruit Tart gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).

Is Fruit Tart vegan? — Vegetarian, not vegan

It’s vegetarian but not vegan as written — it has dairy and egg. Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.

Community Notes

Cooked it? Changed something that worked? Leave a note for the next person — first-name basis, no account.

Loading notes…

More French recipes

Lemon Tart Chocolate Soufflé Chocolate Truffles Coq au Vin Hollandaise Sauce Beef Tartare

All French recipes → · Browse all 1433 →

Some ingredient and tool links are affiliate links — if you buy through one, 5best2buy may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never costs the maker anything, and it never decides who we recommend. The list is the list.
© 2026 5best2buy.com · Recipe No.686

Fruit Tart, and where to source it