With a sweet pastry crust and smooth mascarpone cream filling, homemade fresh fruit tart is simply elegant. This eye-catching, colorful dessert is surprisingly easy to prepare. Plus, you can save time and make the crust and cream in advance! See my make-ahead instructions below.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since made some changes to the pastry crust so it’s quicker and easier, and added new photos.
A fresh fruit tart is the kind of dessert that looks like you poured your heart and soul into it, when in reality you made the pastry crust yesterday, the cream filling takes about 5 minutes, and you spent most of the time snacking on all the fruit you were cutting.
Another wonderful thing about this beautiful dessert is that there’s minimal bake time, which makes it a favorite in the summertime! The crust only bakes for about 25 minutes, then you let it cool and fill it with the good stuff. You can make the crust ahead of time and then fill it the next day.
I have a lot of step-by-step pictures for you today. While this recipe is very manageable, I want you to have full confidence before beginning. Let’s dive into this brilliantly colored beauty!
One reader, Sarah, commented: “Made this for a Fourth of July party and it was a show-stopper! Everyone wow-ed over it and I had to admit, ‘It’s really simple—trust me!’ So yummy, so bright, and such a fun dessert. I will definitely be making this again. ★★★★★“
3 Parts to Fresh Fruit Tart
- Tender Pastry Crust
- Lightly Sweetened Vanilla Cream Filling
- Fresh Fruit Topping with a Glossy Finish
Start by Making the 5-Ingredient Pastry Crust
Since first publishing this recipe on my website, I’ve made a few small updates to the crust to make it even better. It’s now quicker, easier, and you don’t need pie weights. It’s the same base I use for the lemon curd tart in my cookbook Sally’s Baking 101, and it’s essentially a French-style pâte sucrée (sweet tart crust).
Its shortbread-like texture strikes the perfect balance between crisp and tender and holds up even after chilling, making it an ideal companion for the blanket of vanilla cream and mountain of fresh fruit.
Here are all the ingredients you need:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this pastry crust.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Just enough to lightly sweeten the crust.
- Salt: For flavor balance.
- Butter: You need room-temperature butter: remember, it’s cooler than you think!
- Egg: Make sure it’s cold.
A food processor makes this dough come together easily. If you don’t have one, you can use a stand or hand mixer instead.
Pulse/beat Tablespoon-size pieces of softened butter into your dry ingredients:
Then pulse/beat in an egg to make a soft dough, like this:
Press the soft dough into a greased 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. We use the same pan for this cranberry curd tart.
Prick the surface of the bottom crust all over with a fork. This is called docking, and we do it when we par-bake pie crust, too, to allow for steam to escape and help prevent the empty crust from bubbling up as it bakes. It may still bubble up a little—that’s normal.
Freeze the crust before baking so it holds shape in the oven. Otherwise, it will melt and slump in the tart pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day if making ahead.
To make for easy handling when you take it out of the oven, bake the tart crust set on top of a baking sheet. It is all too easy to forget your tart pan has removable sides, trust me on this!
That’s it, your crust is done. It needs to cool completely before you fill it.
5-Ingredient Vanilla Mascarpone Cream Filling
Many fruit tarts call for a detailed pastry cream filling; while undeniably delicious (and you should absolutely feel free to use that instead if you’d like!), we’re keeping it simple for today’s fresh fruit tart.
Just 5 ingredients needed for our low-effort cream filling:
- Heavy Cream: We’re whipping the cream into stiff peaks, then folding the whipped cream into the rest of the filling. This is sort of how we prepare no bake cheesecake, too.
- Mascarpone: Softer than cream cheese, this mild creamy goodness is what we use to make tiramisu, so you already know this filling is going to be something special! If you don’t have (or don’t like) mascarpone, use a block of room-temperature cream cheese instead. See recipe Note below.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Just like with the crust, we’re lightly sweetening the filling with some powdered sugar, which keeps the texture nice and smooth.
- Lemon Zest: A little fresh lemon zest adds a zingy bright note to the filling, which pairs perfectly with the fruit topping.
- Vanilla: For best flavor (and those gorgeous teeny specks), use a mix of pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds, or vanilla bean paste. Vanilla pairs wonderfully with subtly sweet and buttery mascarpone, and because it’s the main flavor you’ll taste in this dreamy, creamy filling, this is not the place to skimp.
Below, left: Whipped cream, most of the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla.
Below, right: Mascarpone gently mixed with the remaining sugar:
Fold the contents of both bowls together, and then spread into the cooled crust:
Fresh Fruit Topping
Here’s where you have full creative control. When selecting fruit for a fruit tart, I look for variation in color, texture, and size—as well as what flavors pair nicely together. Decorate the tart with concentric circles or rows of fruit, or simply pile it all on top.
No matter how artistic you decide to get, it will taste delicious!
For a glossy shine, brush the top of the fruit with an easy glaze. Choose a light-color jam/preserves such as orange, peach, or apricot, and whisk it with some water to thin it out. This is what will make your fruit tart look just like the ones you see in a fancy pastry display case; and because the tart itself isn’t overly sweet, it’s the perfect finishing element.
Here is my all-berry version, with extra whipped cream on top:
A bright and cheerful fresh fruit tart is a wonderful choice for summer holiday gatherings and celebrations. See more 4th of July desserts.
More Recipes with Fresh Fruit
Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 9-inch tart
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
How to make homemade fresh fruit tart with buttery pastry crust and mascarpone cream filling. Save time and prepare the crust and cream ahead of time! See my make-ahead tips below the written recipe.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 6 Tablespoons (45g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp/113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 8 pieces
- 1 large egg, cold
Vanilla Mascarpone Cream
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, cold
- 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1 extra teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste)
- 8 ounces (226g) mascarpone, cold
Fruit Topping
- assorted fresh sliced fruit
- 2 Tablespoons orange, peach, or apricot preserves
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base with nonstick spray.
- Make the crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt and pulse or process on low speed to combine. Add the butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing a few times after each addition. Add the egg and pulse only until the dough comes together in a clump. The dough should be soft. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and press it into a 1-inch-thick disc. *If you don’t have a food processor, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the dry ingredients together, and then beat in the butter on medium speed 1 Tablespoon at a time, and then beat in the egg.*
- Place the soft dough in the prepared pan and use your hands to press it evenly into the pan and up the sides. It may seem like you don’t have enough dough at first, but keep pressing. Use the bottom of a metal measuring cup to press the edges firmly against the rim of the pan. Flatten the top edge so it’s even with the rim of the pan, or use a paring knife to trim. Save the scraps to patch up any thin-looking areas. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Cover and freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove the crust from the freezer and place the tart pan on a large baking sheet for easy handling.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the crust appears set. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the cream filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 6 Tbsp (45g) confectioners’ sugar, the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. In a small bowl using a fork, gently mix the mascarpone with the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Don’t over-mix; you only want to smooth out the mascarpone here. Over-mixing will result in a separated mixture.
- Transfer the mascarpone mixture to the whipped cream mixture. Fold together with a silicone spatula or beat on low speed until combined. Use right away (next step), or cover and refrigerate the filling for up to 3 days before using.
- Spread the filling into the cooled crust. I usually use a small offset spatula for this. Refrigerate until ready to garnish with fruit, or garnish right away.
- Top the tart: Garnish the tart with fresh fruit. Use a fork to whisk together the jam and water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Warm for about 15 seconds in the microwave, then brush the glaze on top of the fruit.
- Slice and enjoy! Store leftover fruit tart, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the crust through step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day. You can also prepare and bake the crust, then let the crust cool in the pan to room temperature. Put the tart crust in the freezer for about 1 hour to let it firm up, then wrap it in plastic and freeze it for up to a month. When ready to serve, unwrap the crust and let it thaw before filling and decorating. The mascarpone cream can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days before using.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | 9-inch Tart Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula | Small Offset Spatula | Pastry Brush
- Can I Use a Pie Dish Instead? Yes, you can use a 9-inch pie dish instead of a 9-inch tart pan. Cutting into the pie neatly will be tricky though. You may want to line the pan with parchment paper so you can lift the baked and cooled crust out before filling/decorating.
- Can I Use Cream Cheese Instead of Mascarpone? Yes, absolutely! Use 1 8-ounce block of full-fat cream cheese. Cream cheese should be room temperature. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
- Can I Use Pastry Cream Instead of the Mascarpone Filling? Yes! Here is my pastry cream recipe. Make sure it has chilled before using.
- Crust Update in 2025: The crust portion of this recipe was updated in 2025 to be quicker, easier, and require fewer tools. If you’d like to make the original version, the crust called for: 2 Tablespoons (30ml) cold heavy cream, 1 large egg, 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed. Whisk the heavy cream and egg together. Set aside. To use a pastry cutter: Whisk the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Place the cubed butter on top and cut in using the pastry cutter until the entire mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs or use a food processor for this. Pour the heavy cream mixture on top and stir/pulse to combine. Flatten dough into a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days. Remove dough from the refrigerator and use a rolling pin to roll out into a 9-inch circle. Press evenly into a greased 9-inch tart pan including up the sides. Refrigerate as the oven preheats. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Remove crust from the refrigerator, line the inside with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. Bake the crust for 12 minutes, remove crust from the oven, reduce oven heat to 350°F (177°C), and carefully remove the foil and weights. Use a fork to prick a few holes into the bottom of the crust and bake, without weights, for 7–10 more minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Can I Make Mini Fruit Tarts? Yes. This crust fits nicely into about six 4-inch mini tart pans, such as these mini 4-inch tart pans. You can use larger tart pans for fewer tarts. Bake the mini crusts until lightly browned on the sides. The 4-inch size took about 15 minutes in my oven. Wait for them to cool, then fill and decorate.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe is wonderful! I absolutely love the filling, and want to use it in all the things now! It’s so light, but the mascarpone really gives it a little something extra. Perfect for the 4th or really anytime!
Super easy to follow, and absolutely delicious! The cream filling has just the right amount of lemon zest to give it just a hint of that flavor which goes so well with the berries I used. Great recipe, thanks Sally!
This recipe made the best fresh blueberry tarts we’ve ever had. Amazing!
Perfection! Not too sweet, which is a big hit in our house. This will be my go to for tarts moving forward.
Made the crust in my Vitamix and it worked fine. Also subbed pastry cream as the filling. Love the presentation and inspiration from the photos! Crust was yummy and ended up thicker than I had anticipated.
So easy & delicious!
Can I make this in a 10 inch tart pan? It is all I have. Should I increase everything by 1/3 (tricky to do with 1 egg)?
Hi Patty Lilly, the crust will still fit nicely in a 10-inch tart pan, too.
Do you have any suggestions on how to make this dairy free?
Hi Cathi, we haven’t tested this recipe with any dairy-free alternatives, so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you do any experimenting.
Made this for my 91 year old mother and her friend who was visiting. They both loved it and I will be making this again for special occasions in the near future!
My family really enjoyed this tart and how the filling wasn’t too sweet. I’d like to try it again as the crust wasn’t as crispy/flaky as I’d hoped – I had to bake it much longer than the recipes instructions & it was a little tough (though I didn’t overhandle the dough) – will try missing with a food processor next time.
My teenage daughter and I drove out to the country to visit a U-Pick blueberry patch, and we got the freshest, tastiest blueberries. What best way to enjoy this fruit gold mine? Go to Sally’s collection of the best recipes on the planet! The fresh fruit tart seemed like a match made in heaven! The crust was amazing, the Mascarpone Cream filling under the fresh blueberries, as all of Sally’s recipes, was amazing! We divided it into mini-tarts so everyone in the family could enjoy a whole one to themselves!
This looks so good! What could I sub for kiwi? Some how I am allergic to it.
You can use any fruits you would like, Ashley!
Do you need to make extra mascarpone cream if you want to pipe around the edge? Or if you reserved some from the original amount, how much did you hold back? Thank you!!
Hi Kate! We would make whipped cream to pipe around the edges.
Easy to prepare and delicious!
Can I make this recipe using gluten free flour?
Hi Joyce, we haven’t tested this recipe using gluten free flour, but let us know if you do.
Looks amazing and can’t wait to dig in! We have an egg allergy and would love ideas for making an egg-free crust. Any ideas?
Hi Debby! I would try around 3 and 1/2 Tablespoons of heavy cream to replace the egg. Let me know how it goes!
This recipe is quick, easy to make and delicious! First time making this but certainly not the last! Thank you!
How would Pineapple hold up on this type of cake? Is it too heavy?
Hi Jenn, pineapple would be fantastic. I don’t think it’s too heavy at all, especially if you slice/cut it thinly.
Thank you for the July summer baking recipe! Would a springform pan work instead of a tart pan?
Hi Louise, it may work but the butter from the crust may leak a bit when you bake the crust. It’s not an issue with a tart pan, but make sure your springform pan is absolutely leak-free.
I was wondering the same thing. If you don’t have a tart pan if there are any other pans you could use. Would leaking be a huge problem?
Hi Willa, you can use a 9-inch pie dish instead of a 9-inch tart pan. Cutting into the pie neatly will be tricky though. You may want to line the pan with parchment paper so you can lift the baked and cooled crust out before filling/decorating.
Sally! I loved this recipe!! I was wondering if you have ever added a chocolate ganache/ melted some chocolate to the crust?
Hi Claire, we haven’t tested anything but one of our readers drizzled melted chocolate on the crust before adding the filling and let it harden in the fridge. They RAVED about the results! Let us know if you give anything a try.
I was wondering if I could use this recipe with a 6 by 14” rectangle tart pan. Thank you!
Hi Kate, that should work. Enjoy!
I have been married for nearly 20 years, and I absolutely ADORE my in-laws. They are FOODIES, they love to cook and eat, and in all my 20 years they have always been so excited when I bring things to eat. However, I’ve never been asked to bring the same thing twice. Like, they always like and appreciate what I bring, but not enough to ask for it again. Y’know? I swear this background is relevant to this review.
So, two years ago (2021) we asked what to bring to a family Easter celebration, and my aunt-in-law requested a fruit tart. I found this recipe. First, it’s RIDICULOUSLY easy. Even the crust–the hardest part of the whole thing–comes together quickly, bakes off easily, and is super-hard to mess up, especially if you’re a semi-experienced baker. And the mascarpone filling is so easy that it borders on ridiculous. How can something as good as that cream come together in, what, 3 minutes? Ridiculous. And, trust me, you can pile the fruit on in the ugliest, stupidest ways, and it’ll still be freakin’ gorgeous because who doesn’t love shiny, in-season fruit just mounded on top of delicious creamy filling? The only change we’ve made (not in the recipe) is we drizzle melted chocolate in the bottom of the crust before adding the filling and let it harden in the fridge. It knocks this recipe up to 11! (But, seriously, this recipe is basically perfect, as-is!)
Bottom line here: I took a fruit tart that first time in Easter 2021, and it was the first dessert to disappear from the table. I barely got any! And on the following 4th of July, it was requested again. And in November, when we went to Thanksgiving, guess what I was asked to bring? Fruit tart. And the following Easter? Again, this fruit tart. And fourth of July? Fruit tart. It’s basically the only thing we’re asked to bring to any family get together. In fact, a few months ago, the request was, “Can you bring two?”
So if you’re looking to impress with a gorgeous, tasty, easy-to-make dessert that will blow the hair back on even the most discerning of food-loving family, look no further. THIS is the recipe you need.
I love the idea of melted chocolate on the crust. I will definitely do this!
What an awesome story Jo! Sally’s recipes are amazing!
Hi Sally! Can’t wait to try this delicious summery tart, just wanted to know if one can use any substitutes for the mascarpone
Hi Farrukh, full-fat block cream cheese should work in its place — same amount. Enjoy!
Made this for Easter. It looked and tasted gorgeous! My husband says he doesn’t like desserts (unless they are chocolate!) and he went back for seconds as did my other guest.
I had no trouble with the mascarpone, but I made the filling cold.
I did blind bake the crust and agree with others that it never really browned despite extra time in the oven. I used a food processor to mix it. It was firm and flaky and my friend said she loved it.
Overall a HIT!!!
It looks delicious but I need to make a gluten free version. Can I substitute all-purpose gluten free flour for regular all-purpose flour in the crust? Do you have any tips on baking with gluten-free flour – this will be a first for me. I’ve made so many of your other recipes and they always turn out amazing!
Hi Andrew! I wish we could help more but aren’t experts at gluten free baking. Some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup) in other recipes. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Made these tarts yesterday and they turned out perfectly! We made 4 medium size tarts, 2 of them followed this recipe and 2 were filled with semi-sweet chocolate ganache, a raspberry compote, and then had the piped vanilla mascarpone cream on top. Yum!
Where I live we do not have marscapone cheese. What else can I use??
Hi Samantha, full-fat block cream cheese will work in its place — same amount. Enjoy!
Can I use any of the pre-made frozen pie crust, or the Pillsbury like Homemade pie crusts to make this? I have one in my fridge, I would like use it.
I don’t see why not! It won’t be quite the same (this crust is more of a mix between pie dough and a cookie) but it should work.
A perfect tart recipe and the cream filling was delicious. Made this for Christmas. Followed the directions exactly and used fresh berries!
Can these be made in standard muffin/tart pans? I don’t have small tart pans with the removable bottoms…
Definitely! Use liners so you can easily remove and serve them.