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a berry fruit tart rests on a white board with a tan linen napkin next to it.
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Homemade Fruit Tart

This Homemade Fruit Tart is buttery, creamy, vanilla-y and filled with bountiful fruit! You're going to LOVE this simple but delicious dessert.
Prep Time5 hours 40 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dessert, Pie
Cuisine: American, Dessert
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE TART CRUST:

  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM & TOPPING:

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 8 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • Assorted fresh fruit, sliced or cut in half if large

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350℉.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, confectioners sugar and salt together. Add in the melted butter and mix with a rubber spatula until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough. Press the dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom OR a 9" round springform pan.
  • Prick holes all over the bottom of the tart crust with the tines of a fork. Bake until the bottom is nicely golden brown and the edges are slightly crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • For the pastry cream: In a medium saucepot, combine the milk and ½ cup of the sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, but do not boil. Once at a simmer, remove from heat.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla bean paste/extract, and salt. This mixture will be really grainy and coarse at this stage, so don't fret. Working carefully but quickly, slowly pour a cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously at a constant pace to prevent egg yolks from scrambling and to temper the egg mixture. Repeat by adding more milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to incorporate, until all the milk has been incorporated.
  • Return the now cohesive mixture back to the saucepot the milk was simmering in, and place it on medium heat. Whisking constantly, the mixture will go from having small bubbles around the edges of the pot to deep, big bubbles in the center of the pot and will thicken significantly, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
  • Transfer the pudding to a heatproof bowl and cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap (actually place the plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent the pudding from forming a "skin"). Refrigerate until cooled.
  • To assemble: spread about half of the pudding onto tart crust in an even layer, bringing it close to the edges. Top with the fruit of your choice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set, or until ready to serve.

Notes

Note: you WILL have leftover pudding! Store it in the fridge and make fruit parfaits with any leftover fruit you may have.