Midsummer Fruit Tart

When berries are at their peak and you want a dessert that shows them off, this is the one to make. A midsummer fruit tart is a classic, bakery-worthy beauty: a buttery, crisp pastry shell filled with a light cheesecake-like custard and crowned with a glossy arrangement of fresh strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, and blackberries under an apricot glaze. It’s the kind of dessert that looks stunning on the table and tastes like the best of summer, sweet, creamy, and full of ripe fruit. It takes a little time and care, but every step is straightforward, and the payoff is a showstopper.

This tart has three parts that come together into something special: a tender, rich tart pastry, a smooth baked cream-cheese filling, and a fresh fruit topping set off with a glaze. Each can be tackled in stages, the dough can chill ahead, the shell bakes with the filling, and the fruit goes on at the end, so it’s a wonderful project for a relaxed afternoon of baking. Serve it at the close of a summer meal and watch it disappear.

Why this works

A few classic pastry techniques are what give this tart its crisp shell, silky filling, and gorgeous finish, and they’re worth understanding.

The pastry uses both all-purpose and cake flour, plus a combination of cold butter and shortening. The cake flour keeps the crust tender, while the butter brings flavor and the shortening adds flakiness and structure. Keeping the fat cold and not overworking the dough is what gives you a crisp, tender shell rather than a tough one, and the rest in the fridge relaxes the dough so it rolls out and holds its shape without shrinking. An egg and vanilla enrich the dough into something closer to a sweet pastry than a plain pie crust.

Building a tall, even rim matters more than it might seem. The raised edge holds in the filling, so it needs to be an even height all around, any low spots and the filling leaks out as it bakes. Freezing the shaped shell before baking helps it keep that crisp, defined edge in the oven.

The filling is a light, baked cheesecake custard. Cream cheese, butter, sour cream, sugar, a little cornstarch, egg, and vanilla beat into a smooth batter that puffs as it bakes and then settles as it cools into a creamy, just-set layer. Beating the cream cheese smooth first, before adding everything else, prevents lumps. And letting the baked shell cool completely is important, it sets the crust and filling so the tart holds together when you slice it.

Finally, the apricot glaze does double duty: brushed inside the shell, it adds flavor and a moisture barrier that keeps the crust crisp under the fruit, and brushed over the fruit, it gives that professional, glistening shine and helps the fruit keep. Straining the jam makes the glaze smooth, and a splash of rum or liqueur (optional) adds depth.

What goes in

The ingredients split into the three components.

this now & bake later ❤️

For the tart pastry, you’ll need all-purpose flour, cake flour, cold butter, salt, sugar, cold vegetable shortening, an egg, and vanilla.

For the cheesecake filling, whipped cream cheese, softened butter, cornstarch, sugar, sour cream, an egg, and vanilla.

For the fruit glaze and topping, apricot jam, sugar, optional white rum or Cognac or orange liqueur, and the fresh fruit: strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, and blackberries.

A few notes. Keep the butter and shortening cold for the pastry, and have the cream cheese, sour cream, and butter at room temperature for the filling so it beats smooth. Use ripe, fragrant summer fruit, since it’s the star, and pat it dry before arranging. And the liqueur is optional, the glaze works fine without it, so leave it out for an alcohol-free or family version.

How to make it

Make the dough. Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, butter, and salt in a food processor and process about 30 seconds, until blended. Add the sugar, shortening, egg, and vanilla, and process just until the dough forms a mass. On a floured surface, press it into a 1-inch-thick disk, dusting with flour if sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least an hour.

Roll and shape. On a floured surface, hit the chilled dough with the side of your rolling pin, rotating it as you work it into a circle. Once it softens, roll it out to about 3/16 inch thick, patching as needed, and trim to a 12-inch round (freeze the scraps for next time). Slide it onto a baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil and freeze 5 minutes. Roll the edge up over itself to make a 3/4-inch border, then roll it again into a standing rim, and pinch it to an even 3/4-inch height all around (even height matters so the filling doesn’t leak). Press the outside of the rim with the tines of a fork while supporting the inside with your fingers. Cover and freeze at least 30 minutes.

Make the filling. Heat the oven to 350°F. Beat the cream cheese smooth and fluffy, then beat in the butter. Slowly beat in the cornstarch, then the sugar, sour cream, egg, and vanilla until smooth.

Bake. Fold a 1-inch-wide strip of foil long enough to surround the shell, butter it, and wrap it snugly around the outside of the tart, pinning the ends. Pour in the filling. Bake on the lower oven shelf until the shell is lightly browned and crisp, about 20 minutes; the filling will puff to the top. Move the shell to a rack, the filling sinks as it cools, and let it cool thoroughly to set.

Finish. Slide the cooled shell onto a serving platter and remove the foil. Push the apricot jam through a sieve into a saucepan, stir in the sugar and rum, and simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes. Brush a thin layer of glaze inside the shell. Arrange the strawberries in a ring around the inside edge, overlap the kiwi slices inside that, and mound the berries in the center. Brush the warm glaze over the fruit, and serve.

Tips and storing

A few things make the difference. Keep the pastry fats cold and don’t overwork the dough, for a crisp, tender shell. Build an even rim so the filling stays put. Cool the baked shell completely before adding fruit so everything sets and stays crisp. And glaze inside the shell as well as over the fruit, since that barrier keeps the crust from going soggy.

A couple more. Arrange the fruit just before serving for the freshest look, and pat it dry first so it doesn’t water down the glaze. You can use whatever ripe summer fruit looks best, blueberries, peaches, or figs all work, so treat the fruit list as a guide.

This tart is best the day it’s assembled, when the crust is crisp and the fruit is fresh. The baked shell with filling can be made several hours (or a day) ahead and kept at room temperature or chilled, then topped with fruit and glaze close to serving. Once assembled, store leftovers loosely covered in the fridge for up to a day or two, knowing the crust will soften over time. I wouldn’t freeze the finished tart, though the unbaked dough freezes beautifully.

This makes one 9-inch tart, about 8 slices. Crisp, creamy, and piled with glistening summer fruit, a midsummer fruit tart is a classic for a reason, the kind of dessert that turns a handful of perfect berries into something unforgettable.

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WP Tasty (Tasty Recipes Premium) field values

• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French
• Diet: Vegetarian (contains wheat, so not gluten-free. The optional liqueur can be omitted for an alcohol-free version.)
• Keywords: fruit tart, summer fruit tart, fresh fruit tart, berry tart, cream cheese fruit tart, mixed berry tart
• Serving Size: 1 slice (recipe makes one 9-inch tart, 8 slices)
• Calories: (leave blank. No nutrition data was provided. Generate values with Nutrifox before publishing rather than estimating.)
• Equipment: Food processor, rolling pin, handheld mixer, baking sheet, heavy-duty foil, sieve, saucepan