Valentine Fruit Tart Delight (Printable)

Buttery crust with vanilla cream and fresh fruits creates a vibrant treat for special occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tart Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1–2 tbsp cold water
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Vanilla Pastry Cream

07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 3 large egg yolks
10 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
11 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
12 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Fresh Fruit Topping

13 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
14 - 1/2 cup raspberries
15 - 1/2 cup blueberries
16 - 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
17 - 1/4 cup apricot jam for glaze
18 - 1 tbsp water

# Directions:

01 - Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water, pulsing until dough just comes together. Add additional water only if necessary.
02 - Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out dough and fit into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess dough from edges and prick base thoroughly with a fork.
03 - Chill lined tart pan for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Continue baking 8–10 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
04 - Heat whole milk in a saucepan until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until mixture is pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
05 - Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return combined mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until thickened and bubbling for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
06 - Stir butter and vanilla extract into hot pastry cream until butter melts completely. Transfer to a clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate until completely cold, at least 1 hour.
07 - Spread chilled pastry cream evenly into cooled tart crust. Arrange fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and kiwi slices decoratively over cream surface.
08 - Warm apricot jam with 1 tablespoon water until melted. Strain through fine mesh sieve to remove solids. Brush warm glaze generously over fruit for glossy shine. Refrigerate completed tart for at least 30 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between that shatteringly crisp crust and silky vanilla cream is absolutely worth every minute of effort
  • You can customize the fruit arrangement to match any season or color scheme, making it endlessly versatile
02 -
  • Overworking the dough creates a tough crust, so pulse just until it comes together and resist the urge to knead
  • The pastry cream must be completely cold before spreading, or it will make your crust soggy and sad
03 -
  • If your crust shrinks during baking, you didn't chill it enough before rolling—next time, give it extra time in the refrigerator
  • Room temperature pastry cream spreads much more smoothly than cold cream, so let it sit out for 10 minutes before assembling

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