Strawberry Peach Tart
This strawberry peach tart recipe layers a buttery pâte sucrée shell with silky vanilla pastry cream, then tops it with overlapping slices of ripe peach and strawberry brushed with an apricot glaze.
Equipment
- 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom
- Pastry cutter or bench scraper
- Fine mesh sieve
- Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Pastry brush - Silicone recommended
- Mixing bowls - small and medium
- Plastic wrap
- Pie weights or dried beans - for blind baking
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour - 156g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar - 50g
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup European-style unsalted butter - 113g, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1-2 tablespoons ice water
- 1 large egg - beaten, for egg wash
For the Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk - 480ml
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar - 100g, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch - 24g
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 28g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of fine sea salt
For the Fruit Topping
- 2 large ripe peaches - pitted and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries - about 225g, hulled and sliced
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves - 105g
- 1 tablespoon water
- fresh mint leaves - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make the tart dough: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in egg yolk and 1 tablespoon ice water until dough forms, adding more water if needed. Shape into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and blind bake the shell: Roll chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Press into the tart pan, trim excess, prick the bottom with a fork, and freeze for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line the shell with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, brush with beaten egg, and bake another 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan.
- Make the pastry cream: Heat milk with half the sugar until steaming. Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar until pale, then whisk in cornstarch. Temper the eggs with hot milk, then return to the pan and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in butter, vanilla, and salt. Strain, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Assemble the tart: Spread chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled baked shell. Arrange sliced peaches and strawberries over the cream in overlapping rows or a circular pattern.
- Glaze and finish: Warm apricot preserves with water in a small saucepan until melted and smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and brush the glaze evenly over the fruit. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired. Slice into 8 pieces to serve.
Notes
- Keep the butter and water cold throughout the dough-making process; warm butter is the main reason tart shells shrink in the oven.
- Don't skip the egg wash step after blind baking. It creates a seal that prevents the pastry cream from soaking into the crust.
- Choose peaches that give slightly to gentle pressure but aren't soft or bruised, since overripe peaches release too much juice.
- Slice the strawberries and peaches as close to serving time as possible so the cut edges stay bright rather than browning.
- If your kitchen is warm, chill the assembled tart for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing so the pastry cream holds its shape.
- Strain the apricot glaze even if the label says "seedless"; a smooth glaze brushes on far more evenly.
- The baked, unfilled shell can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
- The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- The assembled tart is best eaten within 2 days of being put together.
- This tart is not freezer-friendly once assembled; both the pastry cream and fresh fruit lose their texture after thawing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 95mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20g
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