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Fresh Fruit Tarts

This classic dessert calls for four elements: a crust (pastry or cookie crust), vanilla pastry cream, fresh fruit and an apricot glaze. Tarts are a perfect and elegant dessert that can be one large tart or mini-individual tarts.
I prefer a sweet cookie crust for this recipe.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Refrigeration & Resting Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Pastry Cream

  • 1½ cups Half-n-Half
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Egg Yolk (save white to beat)
  • 2 tbsp Flour
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Crust

  • ½ cup Butter (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • ⅛ tsp Salt
  • 1½ cups Flour

Fruit

  • Fruit of Choice (apples are not recommended)

Apricot Glaze

  • 1 cup Apricot Preserve
  • Juice of One Lemon (or 2 tbsp Grand Marnier or your favorite cordial)

Instructions
 

Pastry Cream

  • In saucepan bring Half-n-Half to a gentle boil.
  • In mixing bowl cream Sugar, Eggs, Egg Yolk, Flour and Vanilla Extract.
  • When Half-n-Half is hot slowly pour into sugar and egg batter to blend then return custard to saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly, until custard thickens.
  • Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the custard so no thick crust forms, and refrigerate at least 4 hours to chill and set.

Crust

  • Place in bowl of processor Butter, Sugar and Egg. Run processor until butter and sugar are smooth and creamy then add Salt.
  • With processor running slowly add 1½ cups Flour.
  • When doughball is formed stop processor. Remove dough and on lightly floured work surface form a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  • Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest 5 minutes then lightly roll and press into lightly greased tart pan evenly across bottom and up sides, with a fork pierce bottom all around.
  • Place crust in a 350℉ oven for 12-15 minutes or until crust is set and lightly golden.
  • While crust is baking lightly beat reserved egg white until frothy. When crust comes out of oven brush hot crust with frothy egg white and let cool completely.

Fruit

  • Prepare fruit of choice by washing, drying, peeling etc. I love fresh berries mixed with kiwi, but you can use any soft fresh fruit you like. A sliced apple would not be a good choice but ripe peaches, canned mandarin oranges (not fresh but classically used), grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana slices are just some of the commonly used fruits. Be creative taking color and shape into consideration.

Apricot Glaze

  • Place Apricot Preserve and Lemon Juice (or Grand Marnier) in a saucepan. Heat until smooth then remove from heat and run through a fine strainer/sieve to remove any large pieces of apricot preserve.
  • Place in glass bowl and cover to retain some heat (if it cools you can microwave glaze for 20-30 seconds) you want the glaze to be warm and a little runny to use.

Assemble

  • Add a 1” thick layer of chilled pastry cream to cooled crust. Arrange fruit of choice on cream. When you are happy with the design brush glaze over fruit and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
Keyword Fruit, Tarts