Fruit Tart Vanilla Custard (Printable)
A crisp tart shell filled with creamy vanilla custard and crowned with fresh seasonal fruit.
# What You'll Need:
→ Tart Shell
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2-3 tablespoons cold water
→ Vanilla Custard (Crème Pâtissière)
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
10 - 4 large egg yolks
11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Fruit Topping
13 - 2 cups assorted fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, peaches, etc.)
14 - 2 tablespoons apricot jam for glaze
15 - 1 tablespoon water
# Directions:
01 - Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse. Drizzle in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together.
02 - Turn dough onto a floured surface, shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into pan and trim excess. Prick base with a fork.
03 - Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment; bake 10 more minutes until golden. Cool completely.
04 - Heat milk and vanilla bean (or extract) in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
05 - Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in butter until smooth.
06 - Transfer custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill until cool (at least 1 hour).
07 - Spread cooled custard evenly in tart shell. Arrange fresh fruit decoratively over custard.
08 - Warm apricot jam and water in a small saucepan until melted. Strain if needed. Brush glaze gently over fruit for shine. Chill assembled tart for 1 hour before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The custard sets up like a dream but tastes even better the next day
- You can swap fruits with whatever looks stunning at the market
- The shell bakes up buttery and tender, not tough or crumbly
02 -
- The dough needs that chilling time or it will shrink dramatically in the oven
- Custard thickens fast so have everything ready before you start cooking
- Fruit with high water content like melon can make the tart soggy underneath
03 -
- Room temperature egg yolks incorporate more smoothly into hot milk
- A glass bowl lets you see exactly when the custard thickens