Fresh and deliciously sweet, this classic French Fruit Tart is suprisingly easy to make and simply delicious. The perfect dessert to end a celebration or brighten up any occasion.
It’s been a long hard winter this past year. I have been staying safe indoors and it hasn’t always been easy. I am so eager for the summer and I decided to give my menu an early fresh fruit boost with this classic french tart.
There is nothing like fresh fruit for giving your mood and immune system a boost. I used oxident rich berries with a vegan pastry cream and homemade pastry crust. You can also buy a premade pie shell if you prefer. Just make sure its vegan.
How to make a vegan French Tart
This dessert looks very formal and complicated, but its actually quite easy to make. You start by making and baking your pastry shell. The pastry is a very easy basic vegan sweet pastry. You bake it using pie weights, tin foil to cover so it will remain flat in the pan and it doesn’t burn or dry out. These are important steps if you want a successful tart shell.
Whilee the tart shell bakes, you can make your pastry cream. It’s a basic thick custard cream. Blandly sweet and the perfect compliment to the tartness of the fruit topping.
After the tart shell is baked, let it cool completely before using. This prevents it from becoming soggy once the pastry cream and toppings are added.
Once the tart shell is cooled, stir the pastry cream before spreading to insure there are no lumps. Spoon it onto the tart shell and spread it out, covering the entire tart shell evenly, with a spatula. Once you’ve added the pastry cream, then you start adding the fruit topping. You can design your tart in keeping with whatever fruit you are using. You can use multiple varieties or stick to just one. I choose to go with a selection of different berries and fruit. It’s really up to you. Refrigerate completed tart after it’s done.
The final step is to make the glaze. Traditionally apriocot jam or red current jelly is used. I used red current jelly. To make the glaze is easy, just heat the jelly in a small saucepan until it’s melted. Let it cool down slightly and remove tart from the fridge. With a pastry brush, brush on the jelly until the entire tart is covered. Return to refrigerator to let glaze set.
Keep tart refrigerated before serving. To serve carefully remove from tart pan and place on a cake plate. Slice and serve with whipped topping.
After a long, hard winter fresh fruit is the best way to usher in the spring and warmer weather. This tart is healthy and delicious and will be a delicious finish for any dinner or celebration. Enjoy!
Vegan French Fruit Tart
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup ice cold water
Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups plant milk unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
Topping:
- 1/2 pint pint strawberries hulled and sliced in half
- 1/2 pint blueberries
- 1/2 pint raspberries
- 2 medium peaches or nectarines sliced
- 3 kiwis peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup red current jelly warmed and melted
Instructions
- To make the pastry crust: Combine the flour and sugar into a large bowl and whisk until well mixed. Cut the vegan butter into cubes and add to the flour.
- Use a fork or pastry cutter to slice the butter into the flour until it has a crumbly texture. Pour 1/4 of the ice cold water into the flour mixture and use the fork to combine.
- Mix dough gently but well, adding more water if needed, until you have a soft, workable dough. Don't over mix.
- To roll the dough: Spread a baking mat or clean tea towel over your work surface and lightly sprinkle it with flour.
- Shape the dough into a rough ball, and put it in the center of the floured tea towel.
- Roll it out until you have a rough circle that is several inches bigger than your tart shell, to allow room for the sides and edges of the crust.
- To form the pie crust: Place the tart pan over the dough and flip it over, using the tea towel to keep it in place. Use a knife to cut off the excess pastry around the edges. If using a tart pan, just press dough around the edges to cut.
- If there are any holes or tears in the dough, fill them with some of the extra pieces. Press dough into the sides of the pan and pinch the edges to flute.
- To Pre-Cook Your Pie Crust: Preheat your oven to 375F (230C).
- Pierce the crust all over with a fork. Cover with tin foil and fill with pie weights ( I use rice or beans).
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 350F and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes until the crust is lightly browned,
- Let cool completely before filling.
- To make pastry cream: Add the vegan milk and vanilla to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
- While the milk is infusing, in a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and cornstarch together until well mixed.
- Slowly pour a third of the boiling milk over the sugar mixture and whisk briskly until smooth and lump free. Once smooth, pour the sugar mixture back into the saucepan.
- Cook the cream for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat while continuing to whisk constantly. Scrape down the the sides and bottom of the pan with a silicone spatula occasionally to stop the mixture from scorching.
- When the pastry cream has started to thickened and large bubbles start to appear, remove the sauce pan from the heat while stirring.
- Immediately add the margarine and mix it in well.
- Transfer the cream into a medium sized bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to touch the top of the custard to prevent a shell forming. Refrigerate for at least one hour until cool.
- Before using as a filling, whisk pastry cream vigourously until it becomes creamy and smooth again.
- Making the tart: When the tart shell is completely cooled, spread the pastry cream evenly over the bottom of the shell. SSmooth it with a spatula.
- Arrange the fruit in a decorative fashion over the cream, overlapping the sliced kiwi or mandarin oranges, and mounding raspberries or blueberries in the center of the tart.
- Melt the jelly or preserves in a small saucepan or the microwave, stirring until smooth.
- Use a pastry brush to gently dab the melted jelly over the fruit.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to set the jelly.
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