Ina Garten Fresh Fruit Tart

Ina Garten fresh fruit tart is an easy summer dessert made with a baked tart shell, raspberry preserves and fresh seasonal berries, ready in 30 minutes. Save this no-bake fruit tart recipe for Easter brunch, Mother's Day, summer cookouts or Fourth of July parties, because it's made with no oven time at all.

Place the larger fruit first, then spill the berries into the gaps so no bare spots show. Skip that order and the berries slide around while the bigger pieces end up crowded on top.

Ina Garten got the idea in Paris, where bakers pile fruit into tarts that look like market baskets, much like a crudité platter made of fruit. She loves how casual it looks and how it lets you use whatever great fruit is in season, from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999).

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Fresh Fruit Tart

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

250

kcal

A crisp, buttery shell holds a thin layer of sweet raspberry preserves under a loose heap of fresh fruit. The fruit stays juicy and bright because nothing gets baked after it goes on.

Ingredients

• 1 10-inch baked tart shell
  

• Raspberry preserves or pastry cream
  

• SELECT FRUIT FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST:
  

• Raspberries
  

• Blueberries
  

• Strawberries, cut in half, stems attached
  

• Grapes, in small clusters
  

• Peaches, peeled and sliced
  

• Pears, sliced
  

• Kiwi, peeled and sliced
  

• Mangoes, peeled and sliced
  

• Papayas, peeled and sliced
  

• Fresh figs, halved or quartered
  

• Fresh apricots, halved
  

• Bananas, peeled and sliced
  

• Plums, halved or quartered
  

• Limes, very thinly sliced
  

• Lemons, very thinly sliced
  

Directions

• Bake the shell: Follow the method for the raspberry tart and bake one 10-inch tart shell until golden. Let it cool completely, because a warm shell would melt the filling.
• Add the filling: Spread a thin layer of raspberry preserves or pastry cream across the bottom of the cooled tart shell. It acts as the glue that holds the fruit in place.
• Prep the fruit: Halve the strawberries with the stems attached, then peel and slice the peaches, pears, kiwi, mangoes, papayas and bananas. Slice the limes and lemons very thinly, and cut the grapes into small clusters.
• Place the large fruit: Group each fruit together in a casual arrangement, starting with the larger pieces like peach, pear, mango and papaya slices. Add the kiwi, bananas, figs, apricots, plums and citrus wheels next, which gives the tart its basic shape before the berries go in.
• Fill with berries: Spill the raspberries and blueberries into the spaces between the larger fruit until no filling shows. Then tuck in the grape clusters so they sit evenly around the tart.
• Add a focal point: Set one strong color, such as halved strawberries or a small bunch of red grapes, near the middle. It gives the design focus and height, so the tart looks like a market basket.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make individual fruit tarts instead of one big one?

Yes, press the dough into five 4 1/2-inch tart pans and bake the shells. Then fill each one with raspberry preserves or pastry cream and top with fresh fruit, which makes serving easier at a party.

Should I use preserves or pastry cream?

Raspberry preserves are quicker and add a tangy sweetness that suits tart fruit. Pastry cream makes it richer and more like a bakery tart, so pick it when you have time to make it.

Which fruits work best on this tart?

Berries, kiwi, peaches, figs, grapes and thinly sliced citrus all work, so use whatever looks best at the market. Choose a mix of colors, because the contrast is what makes the tart look so good.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Bake the shell a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature. Add the fruit just before serving, because fruit sitting on the filling releases juice and softens the crust.

What's the most common mistake with a fresh fruit tart?

Filling a warm shell is the big one, since the heat turns the preserves runny and wilts the fruit. Let the shell cool completely first, and the tart stays crisp and neat.