With a candy pastry crust and clean mascarpone cream filling, do-it-yourself recent fruit tart is just elegant. This eye-catching, colourful dessert is surprisingly straightforward to organize. Plus, it can save you time and make the crust and cream upfront! See my make-ahead directions beneath.
I initially printed this recipe in 2016 and have since made some modifications to the pastry crust so it’s faster and simpler, and added new pictures.
A recent fruit tart is the form of dessert that appears such as you poured your coronary heart and soul into it, when in actuality you made the pastry crust yesterday, the cream filling takes about 5 minutes, and also you spent more often than not snacking on all of the fruit you have been slicing.
One other fantastic factor about this lovely dessert is that there’s minimal bake time, which makes it a favourite within the summertime! The crust solely bakes for about 25 minutes, you then let it cool and fill it with the good things. You can also make the crust forward of time after which fill it the following day.
I’ve plenty of step-by-step footage for you at the moment. Whereas this recipe could be very manageable, I would like you to have full confidence earlier than starting. Let’s dive into this brilliantly coloured magnificence!
3 Elements to Contemporary Fruit Tart
- Tender Pastry Crust
- Calmly Sweetened Vanilla Cream Filling
- Contemporary Fruit Topping with a Shiny End
Begin by Making the 5-Ingredient Pastry Crust
Since first publishing this recipe on my web site, I’ve made a number of small updates to the crust to make it even higher. It’s now faster, simpler, and also you don’t want pie weights. It’s the identical base I exploit for the lemon curd tart in my cookbook Sally’s Baking 101, and it’s basically a French-style pâte sucrée (candy tart crust).
Its shortbread-like texture strikes the right steadiness between crisp and tender and holds up even after chilling, making it a really perfect companion for the blanket of vanilla cream and mountain of recent fruit.
Listed below are all of the substances you want:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the bottom of this pastry crust.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Simply sufficient to evenly sweeten the crust.
- Salt: For taste steadiness.
- Butter: You want room-temperature butter: keep in mind, it’s cooler than you suppose!
- Egg: Be certain it’s chilly.
A meals processor makes this dough come collectively simply. If you happen to don’t have one, you should utilize a stand or hand mixer as a substitute.
Pulse/beat Tablespoon-size items of softened butter into your dry substances:
Then pulse/beat in an egg to make a delicate dough, like this:
Press the delicate dough right into a greased 9-inch tart pan with detachable sides.
Prick the floor of the underside crust throughout with a fork. That is referred to as docking, and we do it once we par-bake pie crust, too, to permit for steam to flee and assist stop the empty crust from effervescent up because it bakes. It could nonetheless bubble up a bit of—that’s regular.
Freeze the crust earlier than baking so it holds form within the oven. In any other case, it should soften and stoop within the tart pan. Freeze for a minimum of half-hour, or as much as 1 day if making forward.
To make for simple dealing with while you take it out of the oven, bake the tart crust set on prime of a baking sheet. It’s all too straightforward to overlook your tart pan has detachable sides, belief me on this!
That’s it, your crust is finished. It wants to chill utterly earlier than you fill it.
5-Ingredient Vanilla Mascarpone Cream Filling
Many fruit tarts name for an in depth pastry cream filling; whereas undeniably scrumptious (and you need to completely be happy to make use of that as a substitute should you’d like!), we’re holding it easy for at the moment’s recent fruit tart.
Simply 5 substances wanted for our low-effort cream filling:
- Heavy Cream: We’re whipping the cream into stiff peaks, then folding the whipped cream into the remainder of the filling. That is type of how we put together no bake cheesecake, too.
- Mascarpone: Softer than cream cheese, this gentle creamy goodness is what we use to make tiramisu, so that you already know this filling goes to be one thing particular! If you happen to don’t have (or don’t like) mascarpone, use a block of room-temperature cream cheese as a substitute. See recipe Be aware beneath.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Identical to with the crust, we’re evenly sweetening the filling with some powdered sugar, which retains the feel good and clean.
- Lemon Zest: A bit recent lemon zest provides a zingy shiny word to the filling, which pairs completely with the fruit topping.
- Vanilla: For finest taste (and people beautiful teeny specks), use a mixture of pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds, or vanilla bean paste. Vanilla pairs splendidly with subtly candy and buttery mascarpone, and since it’s the primary taste you’ll style on this dreamy, creamy filling, this isn’t the place to stint.
Under, left: Whipped cream, many of the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla.
Under, proper: Mascarpone gently blended with the remaining sugar:
Fold the contents of each bowls collectively, after which unfold into the cooled crust:
Contemporary Fruit Topping
Right here’s the place you might have full inventive management. When choosing fruit for a fruit tart, I search for variation in colour, texture, and measurement—in addition to what flavors pair properly collectively. Beautify the tart with concentric circles or rows of fruit, or just pile all of it on prime.
Irrespective of how creative you determine to get, it should style scrumptious!
For a shiny shine, brush the highest of the fruit with a simple glaze. Select a light-color jam/preserves equivalent to orange, peach, or apricot, and whisk it with some water to skinny it out. That is what is going to make your fruit tart look similar to those you see in a flowery pastry show case; and since the tart itself isn’t overly candy, it’s the right ending factor.
Right here is my all-berry model, with additional whipped cream on prime:
A shiny and cheerful recent fruit tart is a superb selection for summer time vacation gatherings and celebrations. See extra 4th of July desserts.
Extra Recipes with Contemporary Fruit
Description
The right way to make do-it-yourself recent fruit tart with buttery pastry crust and mascarpone cream filling. Save time and put together the crust and cream forward of time! See my make-ahead suggestions beneath the written recipe.
Crust
Vanilla Mascarpone Cream
Fruit Topping
- Calmly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable base with nonstick spray.
- Make the crust: In a meals processor, mix the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt and pulse or course of on low velocity to mix. Add the butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing a number of instances after every addition. Add the egg and pulse solely till the dough comes collectively in a clump. The dough must be delicate. Switch it to a evenly floured floor and press it right into a 1-inch-thick disc. *If you happen to don’t have a meals processor, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dry substances collectively, after which beat within the butter on medium velocity 1 Tablespoon at a time, after which beat within the egg.*
- Place the delicate dough within the ready pan and use your fingers to press it evenly into the pan and up the edges. It could look like you don’t have sufficient dough at first, however hold urgent. Use the underside of a metallic measuring cup to press the perimeters firmly towards the rim of the pan. Flatten the highest edge so it’s even with the rim of the pan, or use a paring knife to trim. Save the scraps to patch up any thin-looking areas. Prick the underside of the crust throughout with a fork. Cowl and freeze for a minimum of half-hour or as much as 1 day.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Take away the crust from the freezer and place the tart pan on a big baking sheet for simple dealing with.
- Bake for 25 minutes or till the crust seems set. Place on a cooling rack to chill utterly.
- Make the cream filling: Utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 6 Tbsp (45g) confectioners’ sugar, the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds till stiff peaks kind, about 3–4 minutes. In a small bowl utilizing a fork, gently combine the mascarpone with the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Don’t over-mix; you solely need to clean out the mascarpone right here. Over-mixing will lead to a separated combination.
- Switch the mascarpone combination to the whipped cream combination. Fold along with a silicone spatula or beat on low velocity till mixed. Use instantly (subsequent step), or cowl and refrigerate the filling for as much as 3 days earlier than utilizing.
- Unfold the filling into the cooled crust. I often use a small offset spatula for this. Refrigerate till able to garnish with fruit, or garnish instantly.
- Prime the tart: Garnish the tart with recent fruit. Use a fork to whisk collectively the jam and water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for about 15 seconds within the microwave, then brush the glaze on prime of the fruit.
- Slice and revel in! Retailer leftover fruit tart, lined, within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Put together the crust by means of step 3 and refrigerate for as much as 1 day. You may as well put together and bake the crust, then let the crust cool within the pan to room temperature. Put the tart crust within the freezer for about 1 hour to let it agency up, then wrap it in plastic and freeze it for as much as a month. When able to serve, unwrap the crust and let it thaw earlier than filling and adorning. The mascarpone cream can be ready forward and refrigerated for as much as 3 days earlier than utilizing.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Meals Processor | 9-inch Tart Pan | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula | Small Offset Spatula | Pastry Brush
- Can I Use a Pie Dish As a substitute? Sure, you should utilize a 9-inch pie dish as a substitute of a 9-inch tart pan. Reducing into the pie neatly can be tough although. You might need to line the pan with parchment paper so you possibly can elevate the baked and cooled crust out earlier than filling/adorning.
- Can I Use Cream Cheese As a substitute of Mascarpone? Sure, completely! Use 1 8-ounce block of full-fat cream cheese. Cream cheese must be room temperature. The remainder of the directions stay the identical.
- Can I Use Pastry Cream As a substitute of the Mascarpone Filling? Sure! Right here is my pastry cream recipe. Be certain it has chilled earlier than utilizing.
- Crust Replace in 2025: The crust portion of this recipe was up to date in 2025 to be faster, simpler, and require fewer instruments. If you happen to’d prefer to make the unique model, the crust referred to as for: 2 Tablespoons (30ml) chilly heavy cream, 1 giant egg, 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, very chilly and cubed. Whisk the heavy cream and egg collectively. Put aside. To make use of a pastry cutter: Whisk the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt collectively in a medium bowl. Place the cubed butter on prime and minimize in utilizing the pastry cutter till all the combination resembles pea-sized crumbs or use a meals processor for this. Pour the heavy cream combination on prime and stir/pulse to mix. Flatten dough right into a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or as much as 2 days. Take away dough from the fridge and use a rolling pin to roll out right into a 9-inch circle. Press evenly right into a greased 9-inch tart pan together with up the edges. Refrigerate because the oven preheats. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Take away crust from the fridge, line the within with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. Bake the crust for 12 minutes, take away crust from the oven, scale back oven warmth to 350°F (177°C), and thoroughly take away the foil and weights. Use a fork to prick a number of holes into the underside of the crust and bake, with out weights, for 7–10 extra minutes or till evenly golden brown.
- Can I Make Mini Fruit Tarts? Sure. This crust matches properly into about six 4-inch mini tart pans, equivalent to these mini 4-inch tart pans. You should utilize bigger tart pans for fewer tarts. Bake the mini crusts till evenly browned on the edges. The 4-inch measurement took about quarter-hour in my oven. Look ahead to them to chill, then fill and embellish.
