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Overhead pic of Fresh Fruit tart with Creme Patisserie and a Pate Sucree Crust. You need this topped with Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and mandarin oranges

Fresh Fruit Tart with Crème Pâtissière

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Creme, Crust, Fruit, Pastry Cream, Pate Sucree, Patisserie, Tart
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Chef Tony Zentgraf
Don't let the term Crème Pâtissière or Pâte Sucrée scare you off from making this recipe! It is easy to make and delicious, the French knew what they were doing when they created these classic recipes! Delicious!
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Equipment

Recipe Multiplier

Pâte Sucrée Dough (Sweet Dough)

Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)

  • 16 oz Milk - Whole or 2% recommended
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Paste, Vanilla Extract or 1 Vanilla Bean - split and scraped of beans
  • 3 ½ oz Sugar
  • 3 ½ tbsp Cornstarch - See Notes Below
  • 4 ea Egg Yolks
  • 1 tbsp Cold Butter

Fruit of Your Choice

  • 8 oz Strawberries - Halved, Quartered or Sliced
  • 6 oz Black Berries
  • 6 oz Raspberries
  • 3 ea Mandarin Oranges - or small can
  • 2 tbsp Apricot Preserves
  • 2 tbsp Water

Instructions

Make the Pâte Sucrée Recipe

  • Follow the instructions in the Pâte Sucrée Recipe.
    Mix, chill, roll, bake as per the recipe.
    Let the baked tart shell cool before filling.
    10" tart pan filled with pate sucree (sweet dough or short dough) Very flavorful and sweet tart shell. ready to be filled with pastry cream yum!

Making the Crème Pâtissière

  • If using a Vanilla Bean, split and scrape the beans from the pod before you begin to cook the pastry cream.
  • In a sauce pot, add the milk and vanilla. (Vanilla Paste, Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Beans)
    Whisk to break apart the vanilla beans.
  • Over a medium high heat, bring the milk up to a simmer.
  • While the milk is coming up to a simmer mix together the sugar and cornstarch.
    Ensure there is not any clumps of cornstarch.
    Hold aside until the milk simmers.
  • Once the milk simmers, whisk in the sugar/cornstarch mix.
    Sprinkle in as you are whisking, breaking apart the granules to avoid any clumping cornstarch. Don't add the entire sugar/cornstarch mix at once, it may cause clumping even if you are whisking.
  • Once the sugar and cornstarch are added. Turn off the heat.
    The mixture may begin to thicken, that is fine. You want to stop the cooking process at this point until you add the egg yolks.
  • With the egg yolks in a bowl, temper the cream mixture into the eggs.
    Slowly drizzle in 4 oz of the cream mixture into the egg yolks while you are whisking. This will bring the eggs up in temperature to help avoiding scrambling the eggs in the pastry cream in the next step.
  • While whisking the milk mixture in the pot, drizzle in the tempered egg yolks.
    Once added, turn on the heat to medium and whisk the mixture as it comes back to a simmer.
  • The pastry cream will begin to thicken, pull ribbons behind the whisk and slightly pull away from the side.
    Remove from the heat at this point.
  • Have a bowl ready with the butter. Place a wire mesh strainer over the butter in the bowl.
    Pour the pastry cream from the pot into the strainer. Using a whisk or spatula, press the pastry cream through the strainer.
    This will catch any cooked egg or cornstarch clumps.
  • Stir the strained pastry cream. Allow the butter to milk and incorporate.
  • Once the butter is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Cover the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream) with plastic wrap directly on top.
    Ensure there is no air between the pastry cream and plastic wrap. This will keep a skin from forming on top of the pastry cream as it cools.
    Cook in the refrigerator for 2 hours before use.

Filling the Baked Pâte Sucrée Tart Shell

  • In a sauce pot, place the apricot preserves and water. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
    Let cool before brushing on to the finished tart fruit.
  • Spoon or spatula the pastry cream into the tart shell.
  • Using a spatula, spread the pastry cream to a flat surface.
  • Wash and cut the desired fruit, strawberries, mandarin oranges or other fruit as needed. Dry the fruit so excess water does not accumulate on the pastry cream.
  • Arrange the fruit as desired on top of the pastry cream.
    Overhead pic of Fresh Fruit tart with Creme Patisserie and a Pate Sucree Crust. You need this topped with Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and mandarin oranges
  • Brush the cooled apricot glaze onto the fruit. Coat the fruit, some excess on the pastry cream is ok.
    Serve immediately or chill in a refrigerator. Serve within two days. The pastry cream will make the tart shell soggy after this point.
    Enjoy!

Notes

Cornstarch in the Crème Pâtissière recipe can be varied between 2 tbsp - 4 tbsp depending on how thick you want the pastry cream.
I have this at a pretty high 3 1/2 tbsp for the tart because I wanted the cream to be fairly stiff to hold the fruit. You can adjust as needed for what you are making.