Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes Martha's Fruit Tart 4.1 (69) A crisp crust, luscious pastry cream, and plenty of berries create a stunning dessert that tastes as good as it looks. Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Servings: 8 to 10 Yield: 1 9-inch tart Jump to recipe This classic fruit tart recipe brings together a crisp crust, luscious pastry cream, and plenty of fresh berries for a dessert that looks like it came straight from a patisserie. And while it may seem complicated, each component—from glossy top to buttery bottom—is easy enough to pull off and can largely be made with ingredients you likely already have on hand. You’ll need to build in a bit of time to chill both the dough and the pastry cream, but you can prepare both of them ahead of time, making pulling together the finished tart a breeze. We love topping the rich-yet-light pastry cream with juicy berries, but you can also use sliced stone fruit like peaches, plums, and nectarines; tropical fruit like papaya, kiwi, and mango; or any combination of fresh you dream up. 42 Berry Desserts You'll Want to Make All Summer Long Key Components of Martha's Fruit Tart The crust: This fruit tart uses our easy pâte sucrée recipe for the buttery, golden crust. It's made using a food processor, which quickly and efficiently incorporates the butter into the dry ingredients before the butter has a chance to melt and is also used to work in the egg and ice water. While the ingredients and construction are similar to our pâte brisée recipe, this pastry includes a few teaspoons of sugar which take it in a decidedly sweet direction. The pastry cream: Once you've got the crust down, it's time to move on to the rich pastry cream. Thick, stable, and creamy, it doesn't run or weep and makes a delicious foil to the bright, tangy fruit. It also requires only a few minutes on the stovetop and can be refrigerated for as little as two hours or up to two days. The fruit: We top this luscious tart with a bounty of fresh berries including blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Martha likes to cover the entire top with fruit, but you can opt to leave some of the pastry cream showing if you'd prefer. Choose just one type of berry, go for a combination, or get creative with a mixture of other in-season options—think of this as a blank canvas for whatever fruit strikes your fancy. The glaze: The last step before this tart is ready to be devoured? Topping it with an easy fruit glaze for a glossy, picture-perfect finish. To make it, you simply heat some jam or jelly until it's liquidy, then gently dab it onto the fruit using a pastry brush. Our favorite options for the glaze include red currant, apricot, seedless raspberry, and quince. Can You Make a Fruit Tart Ahead? This tart is best served the day it is prepared, but you can certainly make the dough and pastry cream ahead of time to cut down on day-of prep. Refrigerate the pâte sucrée for up to two days, wrapped tightly in plastic. Store the pastry cream in the refrigerator—with a piece of plastic pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming—for up to two days as well. Directions Roll out dough; fit into tart pan: On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing into edges. Using a sharp paring knife, trim dough flush with pan. Chill shell: Chill tart shell until firm, about 30 minutes. Heat oven; prick dough, line with weights, and blind bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are just beginning to turn golden, about 40 minutes. Tip As oven temperatures can vary, we recommend checking the edges for browning beginning at the 30-minute mark. Remove weights and continue baking; let cool: Remove parchment paper and weights; continue baking until deep golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool tart shell completely on wire rack. Whip heavy cream and sugar; fold into pastry cream: Meanwhile, place heavy cream and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat until soft peaks form. Working in batches, gently fold whipped cream into pastry cream; set aside. Make glaze; let cool slightly: Place jelly or jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. Set glaze aside to cool slightly. Top crust with pastry cream and berries; brush with glaze: Spoon pastry cream mixture into cooled tart shell and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Top with berries; brush berries with glaze. Tart is best served the day it is made. How to Store Leftover Fruit Tart If you find yourself with leftover fruit tart, refrigerate it in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic for up to three days. (Note that the crust will begin to soften the longer it sits.) We don't recommend freezing this tart. More Fruit Tart Recipes to Try: Passion Fruit Cheesecake Tart French Fruit Tart Martha's Blueberry-Buttermilk Tart With Walnut Crust Cranberry Tart Easy Strawberry Tart Rustic Cherry Tart With Ricotta and Almonds Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.