Vanilla Custard Fruit Tart - You Can Make This!

---

Use the fruit you have at home. Kiwi and strawberries make an impressive presentation. However, using one fruit is great as well.

If I can make this, you can too

I needed to whip up a dessert for a COVID birthday party I was throwing and had to use ingredients I already had at home. I wanted it to be visually appealing and adaptable to gluten-free. Intro this delicious Vanilla Custard Tart. I will say upfront that there are several steps to creating this masterpiece, but once you have conquered it you will not only have something scrumptious to serve your guests, you will feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Here’s how to do it.

This recipe has a margin for errors. You can see my patch job on the crust and I made it in a springform pan. Anything goes. It’s the end result that counts.

An idea may be to make this a family effort. Get the kids in there to help (straining the custard is a job I would hand off).

---

Vanilla Custard Fruit Tart

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

For the Tart Pastry

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour)

• 1/2 cup cold butter (cut into small pieces)

• 3 tablespoons of ice water

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

  For the Vanilla Custard

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups whole milk

• 2 large egg yolks

• 2 tablespoons butter (cut into small pieces)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  For the Fruit Topping

• 3 to 4 cups sliced fresh fruit (such as strawberries, peaches, nectarines, mangoes, or berries)

• 1/4 cup apricot preserves (melted)

Directions

To Make the Pastry in a Food Processor

1. Process the flour and butter in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.

2. With the motor running, add the water, and lemon peel through the feed tube and process until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.

3. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. or just until firm enough to roll out. If not using immediately, wrap with plastic and refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to three months.

To Make the Pastry by Hand 

1. Put the flour and butter into a medium bowl.

2. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Add the water, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Stir until the dough holds together.

4. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. or just until firm enough to roll out. If not using immediately, wrap with plastic and refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to three months.

Bake the Crust

1. Press the tart dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a nine- or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. I used a springform pan and trimmed the crust about 1” up. Rustic is good!

2. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes until very firm.

3. Heat the oven to 425 F.

4. Prick the bottom of the tart shell at one-inch intervals with a fork.

5. Line snugly with foil.

6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is set and just beginning to brown.

7. Remove foil and bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Set the crust on a wire rack and cool completely.

Make the Custard

1. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Make sure the whisk reaches the corners of the pan.

2. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, and whisking constantly, boil for four to five minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks.

4. Gradually whisk in about one cup of the hot milk mixture.

5. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and, whisking constantly, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thicker. Remove the pan from the heat.

6. Add the butter and vanilla, and stir until the butter is melted.

7. Strain the custard through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl.

8. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.

Assemble

1. ​Stir the custard and spread into the prepared crust.

2. Top with the fresh fruit.

3. Brush the fruit with the preserves. To heat them, place about 2-3 tablespoons in a microwavable dish and heat for 30 seconds.

4. Serve the tart right away or refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Any kind of fruit will do. Have fun with it and come up with your own designs.

---

Serve on a hotel silver cake stand

Keep the color bomb going with a vintage tablecloth.

Photos by Maud Waterman and Mary Van Hiel

Follow me on Instagram at fortheloveofmary_ to get more recipes like this.

Recipe adapted from Kathy Kingsley at The Spruce Eats

---

Other posts from For the love of mary…