Tarte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Tart)

Tarte aux fraises on the counter with fresh strawberries and pastry cream on the tart.

5 from 4 votes

Tarte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Tart)

If you’re looking for a stunning springtime dessert, you need this recipe for Tarte aux Fraises. This classic French Strawberry Tart features a buttery sweet shortcrust pastry crust, rich crème pâtissière, and fresh strawberries glazed with apricot jam for a treat that is the food equivalent of quiet luxury.

Prep Time55

Cook Time30

Setting Time2

Total Time3 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Slices (1 Tart)

Calories: 373kcal

Author: Emily Laurae

Equipment

Ingredients

Tart Dough

¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter 200 g
1 teaspoon Vanilla paste or vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Salt
1 ¼ Cup Powdered sugar 150g
½ Cup Almond flour 50g
¾ Cup All-Purpose flour 100g (first addition)
2 Eggs room temperature
2 ¼ Cups All purpose Flour 291g (second addition)

Vanilla Pastry Cream

4 Cups Whole Milk 976g
1 Vanilla Bean
5 Egg Yolks 90g
⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar 133g
½ Cup Cornstarch 64g
Pinch Pinch of Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter 42g

Assembly

12 oz Fresh Strawberries
2 Tablespoons Apricot Jam or Strawberry Jam to glaze fruit

Instructions

Tart Dough

In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, start by mixing sugar, butter, vanilla paste, salt, almond and all-purpose flour mixing until combined. Take a moment to scrape the mixing bowl
¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, 1 teaspoon Vanilla paste, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 ¼ Cup Powdered sugar, ½ Cup Almond flour, ¾ Cup All-Purpose flour
Add room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing between additions
2 Eggs
Add the second addition of all purpose flour, making sure to not overmix.
2 ¼ Cups All purpose Flour
Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap – then place in the fridge to chill before using for at least one hour.
I tend to make my tart dough ahead of time so I throw it in the fridge until the next day. If using this method, remove your dough from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to roll it out – you’ll find that it will be MUCH easier to work with!
Once your dough is rolled to the desired thickness, press gently into the bottom of your buttered 9 inch tart pan, poking the bottom of the tart LIBERALLY with a fork, and place in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes. This is essential – your tart shells are less likely to shrink while baking if you take the time to freeze your shells.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line the shell with parchment paper and baking rice/beans/pie weights to further prevent the dough from puffing up.
Bake for 20 minutes before removing from the oven and removing the parchment paper and pie weights then bake for another 10-15 minutes until ever so slightly browned.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

In a heavy saucepan, add your scraped vanilla bean and milk together and bring to a simmer.
4 Cups Whole Milk, 1 Vanilla Bean
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and pinch of salt together in a bowl. Whisk until the mixture lightens in color and becomes a pale yellow.
5 Egg Yolks, ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar, ½ Cup Cornstarch, Pinch Pinch of Kosher Salt
Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in the hot milk to the egg mixture together until homogenous. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium heat.
When the pastry cream comes to a boil, continue to whisk constantly and boil for up to 2 minutes. The pastry cream should reach 200F. Remove from the heat and strain into a clean bowl. Stir in the butter and mix until the butter is melted and mixed into the cream.
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Cover with plastic film placed directly in contact with the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming and place in the fridge to cool. Before using, whip the pastry cream until smooth!

Assembly

Spread the pastry cream into the tart shell and top with your sliced strawberries. Glaze with the apricot jam or the fruit jam of your choice before serving and enjoying!
12 oz Fresh Strawberries, 2 Tablespoons Apricot Jam or Strawberry Jam

Notes

Expert Tips

Use parchment paper to line the crust with weights before blind baking. BTW, you don’t need fancy pie weights — dried rice or beans work just as well!
Make sure to let your tart crust and pastry cream cool completely before assembling the tart. Add a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream before refrigerating so it doesn’t form a skin.
This strawberry tarts recipe can be made piecemeal over several days. Just make sure not to assemble it until you’re within a few hours of serving it, or you’ll risk the crust becoming soggy!

Nutrition