Fresh Fruit Tart is easy and delicious any time of year, but especially when berries are plentiful. The homemade shortbread crust is buttery and sweet and with a touch of jarred lemon curd and apricot jam, you’ve got yourself an impressive treat that will prompt lots of oooohs and ahhhhhs when it’s time for dessert.
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Easy Shortbread Crust
This made from scratch shortbread crust is buttery, sweet and super easy since there's no chilling or rolling needed. Just pat the dough into a tart pan, freeze for 15 minutes, then bake. It's the ideal first layer for this impressive looking dessert.
It starts with cold, unsalted butter. 
Next add the flour, salt and powdered sugar. 
Just pulse the ingredients together until you get a thick mixture like this. 
Add ice cold water a few teaspoons at a time until you get the right consistency.
You could use a pie dish instead, but I don't recommend it. The reasons is you won't see that cute crimped edge around the crust, which is such a big part of the presentation for a fruit tart. Another plus about using a tart pan is the bottom pops out easily. That helps makes slicing and serving the tart a breeze. All the fruit stays in place on the crust since you aren't scooping it out of a dish.
There's no rolling out dough when you are making a shortbread crust for a fruit tart. 
Pat the dough into place and be sure to get it into the waves all around the edge of the pan.
Quick Fruit Tart Shortcuts
When you see how beautiful a homemade fruit tart looks after it's finished, it's easy to think that must be a lot of work. But it's actually pretty easy! With a few quick shortcuts, it really just comes down to making the crust, rinsing off some berries, then using two different jam products - lemon curd and apricot jam. Both are very easily found at any grocery story and add terrific, fresh flavor and eye appeal.
Lemon Curd
After baking the shortbread crust, let it cool completely and then add a thick layer of tangy and tart lemon curd across the top of the crust. Lemon curd is sold in jars and most grocery stores carry it. Lemon curd is usually found in the jam and jelly aisle. I like to use a 10 ounce jar, though I usually use slightly less than a full jar to spread evenly across the tart crust. The lemon curd serves two purposes. Number one, it adds a layer between the fresh fruit and the crust, which help keep the crust from getting soggy. Number two (and this is my favorite part) after a day of refrigeration, the lemony flavor of the lemon curd blends beautifully with the buttery shortbread and creates a slightly more subtle lemon taste than you get if you serve the tart the day you assemble it.
The lemon curd adds a tangy layer between the buttery shortbread and the fresh, sweet fruit. 
There are many varieties of lemon curd in the grocery store. This brand is my favorite.
Looking for other ways to use fresh fruit and make delicious desserts? I think you will love my Chocolate Strawberry Pie recipe. Or, if fresh blueberries are on hand, the Best Blueberry Cake is a winner every single time. That's a cake that I often serve for dessert, but it's also a great treat for breakfast or brunch.
Fresh Fruit Tart
Equipment
- food processor
- 10" Tart Pan
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold
- 1-2 tablespoons ice water
Fruit Layer
- 1, 10 ounce jar lemon curd
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 2 kiwi fruit peeled
Glaze Topping
- ½ cup apricot jam
- ½ teaspoon water
Instructions
Prep Fruit
- Rinse fruit and gently pat dry using paper towels. Rinse kiwi and peel, then slice and cut each slice in half. Place in the refrigerator while you make the shortbread crust.
Prepare Crust
- Using a food processor with the dough blade, or in a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, salt, powdered sugar and butter. If using a food processor, pulse the dough until it creates a mixture of crumbs, but begins to hold together. If mixing by hand, slice the cold butter into small pieces then use a fork or pastry blender to combine the ingredients. Add ice water and continue pulsing or mixing until you’ve got a soft dough that holds together easily.
- Pat the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10” tart pan. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°
- After 15 minutes in the freezer, use the tines of a fork to make small holes across the crust, then bake for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and evenly baked.
Assemble Fruit Tart
- Remove the tart pan from the oven and let the crust cool.
- Spread one 10 ounce jar of lemon curd across the crust, then arrange the chilled fruit on top of the curd. I like making a circular pattern with the fruit.
- Place ½ cup of apricot jam in the microwave and warm for about 45 seconds, add water if needed. Strain the jam and using a pastry or basting brush, spread a light layer of the warmed jam (glaze) on top of all the fruit.
- Refrigerate and enjoy the same day or cover and refrigerate to serve the next day, which will allow the lemon curd a chance to mellow a little, taste less tangy and combine with the flavor of the shortbread crust. Delicious either way.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.
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