Glossy and colorful French fruit tarts are a perfect opportunity to express your creativity in the kitchen: cut pieces of fruit into different shapes and assemble them into beautiful geometric shapes for the perfect showstopper dessert. 

Chef Dominique Ansel’s French Fruit Tart With Pastry Cream Recipe

A French fruit tart is composed of five separate elements: 

- [A tart shell](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-dominique-ansels-tart-shell-vanilla-sable-recipe)
- [Fruit jam](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-strawberry-jam-with-chef-dominique-ansel)
- Pastry cream
- Fresh fruit
- Clear glaze (nappage)

The pastry shell is the foundation of the tart, while the pastry cream serves as a creamy conduit for marrying the pastry crust, fruit, and jam, the last of which is used to add pops of intense fruit flavor. The last element is a clear glaze, also called a nappage, which helps seal in the moisture of the fruits on top, preventing them from drying out, oxidizing, and looking unpleasant. 
In a French fruit tart, the tart shell is baked ahead of time, then topped with room-temperature or cold fillings: jam, pastry cream, fruit, and the glaze. 

Unlike an apple pie, in which the fruit is baked together with the crust, every component of a French fruit tart is cooked separately, and assembled just before serving. The crust on a French fruit tart— called a sablé tart shell—is crisp, unlike a [flaky pie crust](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pie-crust-recipe) or the graham cracker crust on a cheesecake. French fruit tarts feature raw fruit that is lightly coated in a clear glaze to preserve its freshness. 

Learn more about [the difference between pies and tarts here](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pastry-fundamentals-whats-the-difference-between-pies-and-tarts).

Follow these tips for a perfect tart shell.

1. __Add dry ingredients at the end__. For the tart shell, tough dough—which can come from over-mixing, gluten content, and not letting it rest—is the enemy. So you want to add all the dry ingredients at the end of mixing, even finishing mixing by hand if necessary, to ensure the dough is handled only long enough to incorporate the dry ingredients. This will produce a light and crisp pastry base for your delicate fruit tart. 
2. __Blind-bake in advance__. Since tarts are filled with creams or mousses (which can’t be baked), you’ll have to bake the tart shell in advance of filling it. This particular tart dough won’t rise too much, so if you don’t blind-bake the tart shell in advance, it’s still going to be okay. Some tart or pie crust recipes will tell you to “dock” (or pierce with a fork) the bottom of the dough before baking to prevent it from puffing up. You don’t need to dock this dough as it won’t rise too much, especially as it’s being weighed down with pie weights during the blind-baking process. 
3. __Bake, but don’t fill, in advance__. Tart shells can be baked in advance, but don’t fill them with your creams and fillings too far in advance.
4. __Freeze extra dough__. Any excess dough can be frozen, covered tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for two to three weeks. It can also be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for two to three days.
5. __Use bold flavors__. Using whole vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract will give your tart shell (and pastry cream!) a more pronounced vanilla taste. Since the fruit tart is so simple, you want each element to be very flavorful.
Follow these tips to get the pastry cream just right.

1. __Try infusions__. When it comes to making your pastry cream, feel free to flavor it with whatever complementary flavors you like. For the strawberry tart, Chef Dominique sticks to traditional vanilla, but for an apple tart, he infuses the milk for the cream with a cinnamon stick to extract its flavor. 
2. __Temper__. To make the pastry cream, you add some of the warm milk to the egg yolks, then pour the egg mixture into the rest of the remaining pot of milk. This process is called tempering, a cooking technique in which you gradually raise the temperature of a cold or room-temperature ingredient (in this case, eggs) by adding small amounts of a hot liquid, to prevent the cold ingredient from cooking too quickly or too much. If you add all of the hot liquid into the eggs at once, you’re going to end up with lumpy scrambled eggs in your pastry cream.
3. __Watch the foam__. As you will see once it begins to cook, a lot of foam will form on top of the pastry cream mixture. This is a result of all the whisking to combine the ingredients. Once you see it start to disappear as the pastry cream cooks, you can take it as a sign that the cream has started to thicken and will be ready shortly. 
4. __Whisk hard__. Constant and consistent whisking is imperative for making a silky smooth pastry cream, as it prevents cream from sticking to the bottom of the pot and becoming overcooked. 
5. __Allow the cream to cool first__. A common misstep in making pastry cream is to add the butter to the hot cream as soon as it’s done. You want to avoid this because it will break the emulsion of the butter and result in a grainy, greasy pastry cream. Instead, allow the pastry cream to cool to a degree that is just slightly warmer than room temperature before incorporating the butter. That way, the two mixtures blend together smoothly and your pastry cream stays velvety and light.
6. __Wrap tightly__. Once the pastry cream is finished, make sure to press the plastic wrap against the surface of the cream so that it does not form a “skin” or firm layer on top, another enemy of the smooth texture you want in your pastry cream. 
Follow these tips to get the jam just right.

1. __Select ripe fruit__. When making the jam for the tart, do not use fruit that is going bad, but rather fruit that is at its peak of ripeness to ensure the most vibrant flavor. 
2. __Mix pectin thoroughly__. When incorporating the pectin into the fruit, it’s essential to mix it with the sugar first and also slowly sprinkle it into the hot fruit purée while whisking constantly. Both steps ensure the jam stays smooth, avoiding any hard lumps that could ruin the texture of your tart. [Learn more about pectin in our guide here](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-pectin-ingredients-uses-and-substitutes).
3. __Spread evenly__. Make sure to sprinkle the sugar and pectin mixture evenly over the purée, rather than dumping the whole mixture in at once as it may clump into a ball. 
4. __Avoid runny jam__. To test for when the jam is set, spoon some onto a marble surface or plate, let cool for 1 minute, then run your finger through it to see if the jam stays put and doesn’t run back together. If it stays put, then it’s ready! 
Tart assembly can often be the trickiest part of the whole process. Follow these tips to get it right.

1. __Cool completely__. Always make sure your tart shell is fully cooled before you start assembling any cream-based tarts. If the shell is still too hot or warm when you pipe in your pastry cream, you’ll end up with a soggy-bottomed tart. 
2. __Use smooth jam__. Other jam-like condiments, like rhubarb compote or apricot preserves, often have large chunks of fruit in them–great on your morning toast, but not ideal for a sleek, modern tart filling–which would compete for attention with the beautiful fruit on top of the tart. 
3. __Be selective__. Pick the best looking and tasting fruits you can get since those will be on full display with nothing to hide any imperfections. In the strawberry tart, look for berries that are uniform in size. When placing them on the top of the tart, start with larger berries at the perimeter of the tart and use smaller berries as you work your way toward the center. For an apple tart, use a mandoline to cut thin, uniform slices of apple, if your knife skills are not expert-level. To use the most you can from the apple, cut off its “cheeks” in thirds from the core of the apple so you have three even lobes to work with. With the apples, vary the colors slightly so you can produce an ombre effect when fanning out the slices over the top of the tart. 
4. __Exercise care with the glaze__. The glaze should just drape the fruit. As Chef Dominique notes: “Like applying fingernail polish, you want to start from one end and move toward you in one clean motion.” If your glaze is too hot, it can damage the fruit. If it is too cool and thickened, it will just sit on top like a jelly and will be unpleasant to look at it. Always make sure the glaze is no warmer than room temperature so you know it’s the proper consistency.
5. __Chill the fruit first__. Because your nappage is hot when brushed on, make sure whatever fruits you’re brushing it onto are cold so that it doesn’t wilt them. The nappage should set solid within 1 minute. 

Glossy and colorful French fruit tarts are a perfect opportunity to express your creativity in the kitchen: cut pieces of fruit into different shapes and assemble them into beautiful geometric shapes for the perfect showstopper dessert. 

A French fruit tart is composed of five separate elements: <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class=""><a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-dominique-ansels-tart-shell-vanilla-sable-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-dominique-ansels-tart-shell-vanilla-sable-recipe","linkCopy":"A tart shell","category":null}'>A tart shell</a> </li><li class=""><a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-strawberry-jam-with-chef-dominique-ansel' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-strawberry-jam-with-chef-dominique-ansel","linkCopy":"Fruit jam","category":null}'>Fruit jam</a> </li><li class="">Pastry cream </li><li class="">Fresh fruit </li><li class="">Clear glaze (nappage) </li></ul>The pastry shell is the foundation of the tart, while the pastry cream serves as a creamy conduit for marrying the pastry crust, fruit, and jam, the last of which is used to add pops of intense fruit flavor. The last element is a clear glaze, also called a nappage, which helps seal in the moisture of the fruits on top, preventing them from drying out, oxidizing, and looking unpleasant.

What Is a French Fruit Tart?

In a French fruit tart, the tart shell is baked ahead of time, then topped with room-temperature or cold fillings: jam, pastry cream, fruit, and the glaze. Unlike an apple pie, in which the fruit is baked together with the crust, every component of a French fruit tart is cooked separately, and assembled just before serving. The crust on a French fruit tart— called a sablé tart shell—is crisp, unlike a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pie-crust-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pie-crust-recipe","linkCopy":"flaky pie crust","category":null}'>flaky pie crust</a> or the graham cracker crust on a cheesecake. French fruit tarts feature raw fruit that is lightly coated in a clear glaze to preserve its freshness. Learn more about <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pastry-fundamentals-whats-the-difference-between-pies-and-tarts' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pastry-fundamentals-whats-the-difference-between-pies-and-tarts","linkCopy":"the difference between pies and tarts here","category":null}'>the difference between pies and tarts here</a>.

What Is the Difference Between French Fruit Tarts and Fruit Pies? 

Follow these tips for a perfect tart shell.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Add dry ingredients at the end. For the tart shell, tough dough—which can come from over-mixing, gluten content, and not letting it rest—is the enemy. So you want to add all the dry ingredients at the end of mixing, even finishing mixing by hand if necessary, to ensure the dough is handled only long enough to incorporate the dry ingredients. This will produce a light and crisp pastry base for your delicate fruit tart. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Blind-bake in advance. Since tarts are filled with creams or mousses (which can’t be baked), you’ll have to bake the tart shell in advance of filling it. This particular tart dough won’t rise too much, so if you don’t blind-bake the tart shell in advance, it’s still going to be okay. Some tart or pie crust recipes will tell you to “dock” (or pierce with a fork) the bottom of the dough before baking to prevent it from puffing up. You don’t need to dock this dough as it won’t rise too much, especially as it’s being weighed down with pie weights during the blind-baking process. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Bake, but don’t fill, in advance. Tart shells can be baked in advance, but don’t fill them with your creams and fillings too far in advance. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Freeze extra dough. Any excess dough can be frozen, covered tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for two to three weeks. It can also be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for two to three days. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Use bold flavors. Using whole vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract will give your tart shell (and pastry cream!) a more pronounced vanilla taste. Since the fruit tart is so simple, you want each element to be very flavorful. </li></ol>

5 Tips for Making a Perfect Tart Shell

Follow these tips to get the pastry cream just right.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Try infusions. When it comes to making your pastry cream, feel free to flavor it with whatever complementary flavors you like. For the strawberry tart, Chef Dominique sticks to traditional vanilla, but for an apple tart, he infuses the milk for the cream with a cinnamon stick to extract its flavor. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Temper. To make the pastry cream, you add some of the warm milk to the egg yolks, then pour the egg mixture into the rest of the remaining pot of milk. This process is called tempering, a cooking technique in which you gradually raise the temperature of a cold or room-temperature ingredient (in this case, eggs) by adding small amounts of a hot liquid, to prevent the cold ingredient from cooking too quickly or too much. If you add all of the hot liquid into the eggs at once, you’re going to end up with lumpy scrambled eggs in your pastry cream. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Watch the foam. As you will see once it begins to cook, a lot of foam will form on top of the pastry cream mixture. This is a result of all the whisking to combine the ingredients. Once you see it start to disappear as the pastry cream cooks, you can take it as a sign that the cream has started to thicken and will be ready shortly. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Whisk hard. Constant and consistent whisking is imperative for making a silky smooth pastry cream, as it prevents cream from sticking to the bottom of the pot and becoming overcooked. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Allow the cream to cool first. A common misstep in making pastry cream is to add the butter to the hot cream as soon as it’s done. You want to avoid this because it will break the emulsion of the butter and result in a grainy, greasy pastry cream. Instead, allow the pastry cream to cool to a degree that is just slightly warmer than room temperature before incorporating the butter. That way, the two mixtures blend together smoothly and your pastry cream stays velvety and light. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Wrap tightly. Once the pastry cream is finished, make sure to press the plastic wrap against the surface of the cream so that it does not form a “skin” or firm layer on top, another enemy of the smooth texture you want in your pastry cream. </li></ol>

6 Tips for Making the Pastry Cream

Follow these tips to get the jam just right.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Select ripe fruit. When making the jam for the tart, do not use fruit that is going bad, but rather fruit that is at its peak of ripeness to ensure the most vibrant flavor. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Mix pectin thoroughly. When incorporating the pectin into the fruit, it’s essential to mix it with the sugar first and also slowly sprinkle it into the hot fruit purée while whisking constantly. Both steps ensure the jam stays smooth, avoiding any hard lumps that could ruin the texture of your tart. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-pectin-ingredients-uses-and-substitutes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-pectin-ingredients-uses-and-substitutes","linkCopy":"Learn more about pectin in our guide here","category":null}'>Learn more about pectin in our guide here</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Spread evenly. Make sure to sprinkle the sugar and pectin mixture evenly over the purée, rather than dumping the whole mixture in at once as it may clump into a ball. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Avoid runny jam. To test for when the jam is set, spoon some onto a marble surface or plate, let cool for 1 minute, then run your finger through it to see if the jam stays put and doesn’t run back together. If it stays put, then it’s ready! </li></ol>

4 Tips for Making the Jam

Tart assembly can often be the trickiest part of the whole process. Follow these tips to get it right.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Cool completely. Always make sure your tart shell is fully cooled before you start assembling any cream-based tarts. If the shell is still too hot or warm when you pipe in your pastry cream, you’ll end up with a soggy-bottomed tart. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Use smooth jam. Other jam-like condiments, like rhubarb compote or apricot preserves, often have large chunks of fruit in them–great on your morning toast, but not ideal for a sleek, modern tart filling–which would compete for attention with the beautiful fruit on top of the tart. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Be selective. Pick the best looking and tasting fruits you can get since those will be on full display with nothing to hide any imperfections. In the strawberry tart, look for berries that are uniform in size. When placing them on the top of the tart, start with larger berries at the perimeter of the tart and use smaller berries as you work your way toward the center. For an apple tart, use a mandoline to cut thin, uniform slices of apple, if your knife skills are not expert-level. To use the most you can from the apple, cut off its “cheeks” in thirds from the core of the apple so you have three even lobes to work with. With the apples, vary the colors slightly so you can produce an ombre effect when fanning out the slices over the top of the tart. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Exercise care with the glaze. The glaze should just drape the fruit. As Chef Dominique notes: “Like applying fingernail polish, you want to start from one end and move toward you in one clean motion.” If your glaze is too hot, it can damage the fruit. If it is too cool and thickened, it will just sit on top like a jelly and will be unpleasant to look at it. Always make sure the glaze is no warmer than room temperature so you know it’s the proper consistency. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Chill the fruit first. Because your nappage is hot when brushed on, make sure whatever fruits you’re brushing it onto are cold so that it doesn’t wilt them. The nappage should set solid within 1 minute. </li></ol>

5 Tips for Assembling the Tart

Chef Dominique Ansel’s French Strawberry Tart With Pastry Cream Recipe

Glossy and colorful French fruit tarts are a perfect opportunity to express your creativity in the kitchen: cut pieces of fruit into different shapes and assemble them into beautiful geometric shapes for the perfect showstopper dessert.

Glossy and colorful French fruit tarts are a perfect opportunity to express your creativity in the kitchen: cut pieces of fruit into different shapes and assemble them into beautiful geometric shapes for the perfect showstopper dessert. 
