Valentine Fruit Tart (Printable Version)
Romantic tart with buttery crust, vanilla cream, and fresh fruits—ideal for Valentine's Day celebrations.
# What You'll Need:
→ Tart Crust
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1-2 tablespoons cold water
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Pastry Cream
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 3 large egg yolks
10 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
11 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Fruit Topping
13 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
14 - 1/2 cup raspberries
15 - 1/2 cup blueberries
16 - 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
17 - 1/4 cup apricot jam
18 - 1 tablespoon water
# Directions:
01 - Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water, pulsing until dough forms a ball. Add additional water only if necessary. Shape dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes.
02 - Roll chilled dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Press dough into 9-inch tart pan, trimming excess. Prick bottom thoroughly with fork. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, continue baking 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before filling.
03 - Heat milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in heat-proof bowl until mixture thickens and turns pale yellow, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Slowly stream one-third of hot milk into egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return tempered mixture to saucepan with remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until mixture boils and thickens significantly, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
05 - Stir butter and vanilla extract into hot pastry cream until butter melts completely. Transfer to clean bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours.
06 - Spread cold pastry cream evenly into cooled tart crust. Arrange fresh fruit in decorative pattern over cream surface, overlapping slightly for visual appeal.
07 - Combine apricot jam with water in small saucepan. Warm over low heat until melted and smooth. Press through fine-mesh strainer to remove solids. Brush warm glaze lightly over fruit arrangement using pastry brush. Refrigerate assembled tart minimum 30 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pastry cream is luxuriously creamy and incredibly stable, meaning your tart will hold its beautiful shape even after sitting out
- You can customize the fruit arrangement based on the season or what looks most vibrant at the market
- The buttery crust is forgiving and bakes up perfectly golden every single time
02 -
- The most common mistake is overworking the dough, which makes it tough instead of tender and flaky
- Pastry cream must reach a full boil while cooking to properly activate the cornstarch
- Room temperature fruit will slide around more easily than cold fruit when arranging your pattern
03 -
- Warm your tart pan slightly before pressing in the dough for easier handling
- If your cream seems lumpy after cooking, simply press it through a fine mesh strainer before chilling