Sink your fork into this French-inspired mixed berry tart with a buttery pâte sucrée shell that’s filled with silky smooth vanilla pastry cream, topped with an assortment of fresh whole berries, and finished with a warm jelly glaze that makes this fruity tart pop with vibrant color! Find any excuse to show off this stunning berry tart to your family and guests!
While the fancy French terms for the different components of this trifle berry tart might sound intimidating at first, you’ll soon realize like I did that it’s actually ideal for beginner bakers. The only thing this dessert demands from you is some patience since both the pate sucree pastry shell and the French pastry cream need to chill. But don’t worry, you can easily make these in advance and leave the assembling of the tart to just before serving.
I’ll often make a double batch of pastry cream since it’s such a versatile dessert filling for various treats, like these Boston cream pie dessert crepes, lemon layer cake, or no bake Eclair cake.
Enjoy a slice of this custardy berry tart with a light glaze of warmed jelly, whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream!
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🫐 Ingredients:
This mixed berry tart contains a number of basic ingredients, and all of them are easy to find at your local grocery store. Let’s talk about the most important ingredients.
- Pâte sucrée – While this is technically an element of this recipe instead of an ingredient itself, the pâte sucrée pastry shell is a key component to this berry tart recipe, consisting of flour, butter, sugar, salt, eggs, and ice water. Read more about this delicious pastry shell.
- Pastry cream filling – The rich and creamy filing for this triple berry tart gets its velvety and thick texture from the whipped cream, cornstarch, and gelatin while the butter, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract offer depth of flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. We’re actually making closer to a “diplomat cream” for this recipe – it’s slightly thicker than straight pastry cream so that it holds when slicing the tart.
- Berry topping – This beautiful mixed berry tart wouldn’t be the same without a generous topping of fresh mixed berries, completely covering the pastry cream filling. For a glazed finish, gently brush warmed jelly over the berries for extra flavor and a glossy finish!
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
While the warmed seedless jelly is optional, I think it’s a lovely addition that’s also effortless. This mixed berry tart is great as a standalone dessert or paired with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Equipment Needed:
Pie weights are particularly helpful when baking the pâte sucrée pie shell. They will prevent the pastry from puffing up or shrinking while baking. You could also use dry beans.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pastry shell – make an easy shortbread cookie crust for this mixed berry tart instead, like I’ve done for this lemon tart recipe. Graham cracker crust is another alternative to pâte sucrée.
- Pastry cream – we chose to use vanilla extract for ease, but vanilla bean paste paste or even whole vanilla beans can be used as well. For a chocolate version, whisk in 2 ounces of dark or bittersweet chocolate once the pastry cream has been removed from the heat.
- Berries – Consider a different combination of berries, such as strawberries and raspberries, or add a holiday twist to this dessert by covering the tart with these stunning sugared cranberries.
- Other toppings – in addition to the mixed berries, consider garnishing this tart with sliced almonds, toasted pistachio dust, or white‑chocolate shards. Add a few leaves of mint on the assembled mixed berry tart for a pop of color and freshness.
- Gluten-free – use gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this berry tart suitable to dietary needs. The rest of the ingredients are already gluten-free.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: This mixed berry recipe starts with preparing the pastry shell. Place the pieces of butter in the freezer for 5-10 minutes at the start and fill a small bowl with ice cubes to get the water well chilled. This will ensure that the ingredients are chilled for the best pastry shell texture.
Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Step 2: Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
Step 3: Whisk together the egg yolks and 4 tablespoons of ice water in a small bowl.
Step 4: With the food processor running, pour the egg/water mixture through the hole in the top of the machine until the dough pulls together.
Step 5: Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and and gently press into a mound with your hands.
Step 6: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and press into a disc.
Step 7: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Step 8: Unwrap chilled disc and roll into a ¼” thick round.
Step 9: Place the round into a tart shell, lifting around the edges to tuck the dough down to the edge of the base and up the sides of the pan. Use a sharp knife to slice parallel to the top edge of the tart pan to remove the excess dough. You can also simply roll a rolling pin right over the top of the pan and it will slice off the excess dough.
Pro Tip: Crumple a square of parchment paper into a tight ball and then spread it out before placing it into the unbaked pastry shell crust. This helps it settle into the crust and up the edges when you add the pie weights in the step below.
Step 10: Prick holes in the bottom of the dough. Line the chilled shell with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
Step 11: Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake about 20-30 minutes until the shell has begun to turn golden brown. Lift the parchment paper and weights from the shell and continue cooking approximately 10 minutes more, until the shell is golden brown all over and has pulled away from the edges of the tart pan. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely
Step 12: Place 1 teaspoon of gelatin powder in a small, microwave safe bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of water and stir to combine. Leave to set about 5 minutes while you prepare the pastry cream.
Step 13: In a medium saucepan, combine milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a low boil. If you pause while whisking, a few bubbles will break the surface of the mixture.
Step 14: Once this slow boil occurs, set the timer for 3 minutes and continue cooking and whisking. Mixture should thicken.
Step 15: Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and butter. Microwave the gelatin mixture (it will be thick) for 10-15 seconds, just enough that it liquifies. Stir to ensure all of the gelatin has dissolved. Stir into the warm pastry cream mixture. Whisk pastry cream fully. Transfer to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the top of the pastry cream so that it doesn’t form a skin. Chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Pro Tip: Making the plastic wrap touch the top of the thick custard keeps from a skin forming on the surface of the cream.
Step 16: Whisk whipped cream until stiff peaks form.
Step 17: Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled pastry cream and whisk to loosen and smooth the mixture.
Step 16: Whisk gently or fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream until combined.
Step 17: Rinse fresh berries and spread out on paper towels to dry completely. Spoon the prepared diplomat cream into the pastry shell until it reaches just below the top edge. You may not use all of the filling. Chill filled tart in the refrigerator for several hours.
Step 18: Arrange berries on top of the tart filling.
Step 19: For a glazed finish, you can also top the berries with a warmed jelly. Microwave seedless jelly for 15-30 seconds and stir until it’s liquid. Use a pastry brush to gently brush the glaze over all of the berries. Take care not to let a bunch of excess jelly run down onto the tart crust and cream filling.
KEEP CHILLED: Keep the tart in the refrigerator until serving. Serve within a couple hours.
Recipe Tips for Berry Tart
- To reduce the recipe time significantly, consider making the pastry shell and pastry cream filling ahead of time. Once completely cool, store your baked pastry shell in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pastry cream will also last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- The silky smooth texture of the pastry cream is achieved by mixing the milk, cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks before heating, then heating slowly. If you do find lumps, strain through a fine mesh strainer before chilling.
- It’s important to chill the cream pastry before adding it to the pastry shell. Any warmth will add unnessesary moisture to the pie crust which can turn it soggy.
- Easily make mini mixed berry tarts instead of a whole tart by using mini tart pans and reducing the baking time of the pastry shells.
- Make a double batch of the pastry cream to fill Boston cream pie crepes or no-bake Eclair cake for a dessert spread or to enjoy in days to come.
Fun Fact
Crème pâtissière, also known as pastry cream, is a classic French custard that is often used as a filling for pastries, tarts, and cakes. It is a key component of many French desserts and is loved for its smooth, creamy texture and rich flavor.- Serious eats.
Recipe FAQs
Traditional custard and pastry cream are very similar. They both use milk, eggs, and sugar. That said, pastry cream is much thicker than custard since it incorporates cornstarch or another form of starch, such as flour.
While the cornstarch thickens the pastry cream, the gelatin gives it additional structure which helps it from buckling under the weight of heavier toppings, such as the mixed whole berries.
This berry tart can last for up to 4-5 days in the fridge if wrapped tightly. After that, the tart crust will start to turn soggy from the moist filling. Note that the berries berries are best the same day they have been rinsed and added to the tart.
More Custardy Desserts!
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Mixed Berry Tart
Ingredients
9” Pate Sucree Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or 1 stick, cold and cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons ice water plus more if needed
Pastry Cream Ingredients
- 2 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1-2 teaspoons gelatin powder one envelope contains about 3 teaspoons
- ½ cup heavy cream whipped (1 cup whipped cream)
Tart Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh mixed berries strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries
- ¼ cup strawberry or raspberry jelly seedless
Instructions
Pate Sucree Instructions (Shell)
- In the bowl of a food processor, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until mixture resembles small pebbles.
- Whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water in a small bowl.
- With the food processor running, pour the egg/water mixture through the hole in the top of the machine until the dough pulls together, just slightly.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and gently press into a mound with your hands.
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and press into a disc.
- Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 2 days.
- Unwrap chilled disc and roll into a ¼” thick round.
- Place the round into a 9” tart shell, lifting around the edges to tuck the dough down to the edge of the base and up the sides of the pan.
- Use a sharp knife to slice parallel to the top edge of the tart pan to remove the excess dough. You can also simply roll a rolling pin right over the top of the pan and it will slice off the excess dough.
- Prick holes in the bottom of the dough. Line the chilled shell with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights.
- Place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake about 20-30 minutes until the shell has begun to turn golden brown. Lift the parchment paper and weights from the shell and continue cooking approximately 10 minutes more, until the shell is golden brown all over and has pulled away from the edges of the tart pan. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Pastry Cream Instructions (Filling)
- Place 1 teaspoon of gelatin powder in a small, microwave safe bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of water and stir to combine. Leave to set about 5 minutes while you prepare the pastry cream.
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a low boil. If you pause while whisking, a few bubbles will break the surface of the mixture.
- Once this slow boil occurs, set the timer for 3 minutes and continue cooking and whisking. Mixture should thicken.
- Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and butter.
- Microwave the gelatin mixture (it will be thick) for 10-15 seconds, just enough that it liquifies. Stir to ensure all of the gelatin has dissolved. Stir into the warm pastry cream mixture.
- Whisk pastry cream fully.
- Transfer to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the top of the pastry cream so that it doesn’t form a skin.
- Chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Whisk whipped cream until stiff peaks form.
- Remove chilled pastry cream from the refrigerator and use a whisk to gently loosen the mixture.
- Carefully whisk or fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream to make your tart filling (diplomat cream.)
Final Assembly Instructions
- Rinse fresh berries and spread out on paper towels to dry completely.
- Spoon the prepared diplomat cream into the pastry shell until it reaches just below the top edge. You may not use all of the filling.
- Chill filled tart in the refrigerator for several hours.
- Arrange berries on top of the tart filling. For a glazed finish, you can also top the berries with a warmed jelly. Microwave seedless jelly for 15-30 seconds and stir until it’s liquid. Use a pastry brush to gently brush the glaze over all of the berries. Take care not to let a bunch of excess jelly run down onto the tart crust and cream filling.
- Keep tart in the refrigerator until serving.
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Notes
- To reduce the recipe time significantly, consider making the pastry shell and pastry cream filling ahead of time. Once completely cool, store your baked pastry shell in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pastry cream will also last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- The silky smooth texture of the pastry cream is achieved by mixing the milk, cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks before heating, then heating slowly. If you do find lumps, strain through a fine mesh strainer before chilling.
- It’s important to chill the cream pastry before adding it to the pastry shell. Any warmth will add unnessesary moisture to the pie crust which can turn it soggy.
- Easily make mini mixed berry tarts instead of a whole tart by using mini tart pans and reducing the baking time of the pastry shells.
Nutrition
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