Winter Fruit Tart Delight (Printable)

Crisp pastry with creamy custard and a colorful array of fresh winter fruits and apricot glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry

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 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Pastry Cream

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

→ Fruit Topping

13 - 1 medium pear, thinly sliced
14 - 1 medium apple, thinly sliced
15 - 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
16 - 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
17 - 1 medium kiwi, peeled and sliced
18 - 1 orange, segmented

→ Glaze

19 - 1/4 cup apricot jam
20 - 1 tablespoon water

# Directions:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water; mix until dough forms, adding more water if necessary. Shape into disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press dough into pan and trim edges. Prick base with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. Bake 20 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 10 to 15 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
03 - Heat milk in a saucepan until steaming. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually add hot milk to egg mixture, whisking continuously. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Cover surface with plastic wrap and cool completely.
04 - Spread cooled pastry cream evenly in the pastry shell. Decoratively arrange pear, apple, grapes, pomegranate arils, kiwi, and orange segments on top.
05 - Heat apricot jam and water until melted and smooth. Strain if desired. Brush gently over fruit topping to add shine.
06 - Refrigerate tart for at least 1 hour to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pastry cream is silky enough to make you forget store-bought custard exists.
  • You can swap in whatever winter fruit looks good at the market that day.
  • It looks impressive but the steps are straightforward once you get your rhythm.
  • Every slice tastes like a small celebration even on ordinary weeknights.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the dough or it will shrink dramatically in the oven.
  • Stir the pastry cream constantly once it's on the heat or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Brush the glaze on lightly so the fruit doesn't get soggy or slide around.
03 -
  • Freeze the butter for 10 minutes before cutting it into the flour for the flakiest crust.
  • Use a pastry brush with soft bristles so you don't bruise the fruit when glazing.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the empty tart shell again before baking to prevent shrinking.
  • Taste your fruit before arranging it and put the sweetest pieces where they'll be most visible.

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