Strawberry Tart
This strawberry tart is one of those desserts that looks bakery-worthy but is surprisingly simple to make. It starts with a buttery, crisp tart shell filled with silky lemon pastry cream and topped with fresh strawberries. Together, the three layers create a light, creamy, and fruity dessert that’s hard to resist. It’s elegant enough for special occasions but easy enough to make at home!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery, crisp homemade tart crust
- Silky smooth vanilla pastry cream
- Fresh strawberries make it light and refreshing
- Beautiful dessert that’s perfect for entertaining
- Can be made ahead of time
The Layers
01. Crust
The crust is incredibly easy to make and can even be prepared ahead of time. It’s made with butter, powdered sugar, an egg, vanilla, milk, flour, and salt. The ingredients come together into a soft dough that bakes into a beautifully golden, crisp shell that’s the perfect base for the pastry cream.
02. Filling
The crust is filled with silky lemon pastry cream made with fresh lemon zest for a bright, citrusy flavor. We have a detailed post on how to make pastry cream, along with plenty of tips and tricks, here.
03. Topping
Fresh strawberries are arranged on top to create a beautiful, showstopping dessert that’s almost too pretty to eat!
To Make Ahead
Tart dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
Baked tart shell: Bake the tart shell up to 2 days in advance. Once completely cooled, store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pastry cream: Prepare the pastry cream up to 3 days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Assembled tart: For the freshest texture, assemble the tart the day you plan to serve it. If needed, it can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Watch how we made it:
Strawberry Tart
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened & cubed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest from 1 lemon
Topping
- 1 1/2 pounds sliced strawberries
Instructions
For the Crust
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar until combined.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix on low until fully incorporated. Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing on low just until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too crumbly, add an additional teaspoon of milk.
- Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll the chilled dough into a ⅛-inch-thick circle. Carefully transfer it to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, then gently press it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim any excess dough. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust all over.
- Freeze the tart shell for 20 minutes. Press a sheet of aluminum foil tightly against the bottom and up the sides of the crust.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for 18–20 minutes, or until the crust is evenly golden brown.
For the Pastry Cream
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until it is steaming and small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Do not let it come to a full boil.
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in until the mixture is smooth, pale, and free of lumps.
- Slowly pour about half of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs and helps prevent them from scrambling. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and whisk until combined.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Continue whisking for 30–60 seconds after it starts bubbling to fully cook the cornstarch. The pastry cream is ready when it has the consistency of thick pudding and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, and lemon zest until completely melted and smooth.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2 hours.
To Assemble
- Spoon the chilled pastry cream into the cooled tart shell and spread it into an even layer.
- Starting around the outer edge, arrange the strawberry slices in a slightly overlapping circle with the cut sides facing up. Continue layering the strawberries in overlapping circles, working your way toward the center and slightly angling the slices upright as you go. If your strawberries are very juicy, gently pat them dry with a paper towel before arranging them on the tart.
