Strawberries were three large punnets for $10 at the markets this week, and when they look that good and are that abundant, it seems only right to make something that really shows them off.

This French strawberry tart, or tarte aux fraises, does exactly that. A crisp, buttery pâte sucrée shell is filled generously with silky vanilla crème pâtissière, then topped with fresh strawberries and a light brush of apricot jam for that beautiful glossy pâtisserie finish.

There are a few separate elements to prepare, but none of them is difficult, and most can be made ahead. Once everything comes together, you have a classic French tart that really lets beautiful strawberries be the star.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It really lets the strawberries shine – there’s plenty of fresh fruit on top, with nothing competing with their flavour.
• The textures are spot on – crisp, buttery pastry, silky vanilla crème pâtissière and juicy fresh strawberries.
• It looks impressive – the glossy strawberry topping gives it that classic French pâtisserie finish.
• You can make the components ahead – both the pastry shell and crème pâtissière can be prepared in advance.
• It’s easier than it looks – there are a few separate elements, but none of the techniques is particularly difficult.

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Ingredients Explained

Plain flour – forms the base of the pâte sucrée, giving the tart enough structure while still keeping the pastry crisp and tender.

Unsalted butter – gives the pastry its rich, buttery flavour. Keep it cold when making the dough.

Icing sugar – sweetens the pâte sucrée and helps give it a finer, more delicate texture than regular sugar.

Egg and egg yolk – bind the pastry together while adding richness. The extra yolk also helps keep the pastry tender.

Vanilla – used in both the pastry and crème pâtissière. Vanilla bean paste is convenient and gives you those lovely visible vanilla seeds, although a vanilla bean also works beautifully in the pastry cream.

Full cream milk – forms the base of the crème pâtissière and gives it a rich, creamy texture.

Egg yolks – add richness, colour and that classic custard flavour to the pastry cream.

Caster sugar – sweetens the crème pâtissière without making it overly sweet, so the vanilla and fresh strawberries still come through.

Cornflour – thickens the crème pâtissière and gives it enough structure to hold its shape once the tart is chilled and sliced.

Strawberries – the star of the tart. Choose ripe, sweet strawberries with good colour and, if possible, a reasonably similar size so they’re easier to arrange neatly.

Apricot jam – gives the strawberries their glossy pâtisserie-style finish. A small splash of boiling water from the kettle is all you need to loosen it enough for brushing.

Egg white – brushed lightly over the baked tart shell before it goes back into the oven briefly. This helps create a barrier between the pastry and the crème pâtissière so the shell stays crisp for longer.

Pro Tips

Don’t overwork the pastry: Once the dough comes together, stop working it. Overworking pâte sucrée can make it tough rather than crisp and tender.

Chill the dough properly: Give it the full chilling time before rolling. This firms the butter and makes the pastry much easier to handle.

Don’t stretch the pastry into the tin: Roll it large enough to fit comfortably, then gently ease it into the base and sides. Stretching the dough can cause it to shrink as it bakes.

Bake the shell until properly golden: A pale pastry shell won’t have the same flavour or crispness. Let it develop a good golden colour before removing it from the oven.

Seal the pastry shell: A light coating of egg white followed by another couple of minutes in the oven creates a simple moisture barrier before the crème pâtissière is added.

Cook the crème pâtissière thoroughly: Once it has thickened and started to bubble, keep whisking and cooking it for another minute. This ensures the cornflour is properly cooked and gives the pastry cream the structure it needs.

Cool the pastry cream completely: Don’t fill the tart while the crème pâtissière is still warm. It should be completely cold before assembly.

Dry the strawberries well: Any water left on the fruit can make the finished tart watery and interfere with the glaze.

Keep the apricot glaze light: Add only enough boiling water to make the jam brushable, then use it sparingly. The strawberries should look glossy, not coated in jam.

Chill the assembled tart before slicing: Give it at least 2 hours in the refrigerator so the crème pâtissière is thoroughly cold and firm.

Use a sharp knife for clean slices: Dip the blade into hot water, wipe it completely dry and make a clean cut rather than sawing through the pastry. Wipe the knife between slices.

Prefer to watch? See exactly how I make this French Strawberry Tart in the step-by-step video.

Substitutions

Vanilla bean paste: You can use a vanilla bean instead. Split it, scrape out the seeds and infuse both the seeds and pod in the milk before removing the pod.

Strawberries: Other fresh berries also work beautifully with this style of tart. Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries can be used individually or in combination. My Passionfruit and Raspberry Tarts use that same lovely contrast of crisp pastry and fresh berries, although with a tangy passionfruit curd filling instead of crème pâtissière.

I wouldn’t use frozen strawberries here. Once thawed, they release too much moisture and won’t give you the fresh texture or neat glossy finish this tart needs.

I’d also stick with apricot jam for the glaze if you can. Its flavour is mild enough that it doesn’t compete with the strawberries.

Storage

Keep the assembled French strawberry tart covered in the refrigerator.

It is at its best on the day it is assembled, when the strawberries are freshest and the pâte sucrée is at its crispest. Leftovers can still be refrigerated, although the pastry will gradually soften as it sits beneath the crème pâtissière.

The components can easily be prepared ahead. The pâte sucrée dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and the baked tart shell can be made 1–2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container once completely cool.

The crème pâtissière can also be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep it refrigerated with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

For the best texture, assemble the tart on the day you plan to serve it.

The baked, unfilled pastry shell can be frozen, but I wouldn’t freeze the assembled tart.

FAQs

What is tarte aux fraises?

Tarte aux fraises is a classic French strawberry tart made with a pastry shell, crème pâtissière and fresh strawberries. The fruit is often finished with a light glaze to give it that characteristic glossy pâtisserie appearance.

Is crème pâtissière the same as custard?

Crème pâtissière is a type of custard, but it’s much thicker than a pouring custard. Egg yolks and cornflour give it enough structure to use as a filling for pastries and fruit tarts.

If you’re looking for a very different style of custard tart, my Aussie Bakery Custard Tart uses custard powder to create that familiar old-fashioned Australian bakery filling.

Can I make French strawberry tart ahead?

Yes. The pastry shell and crème pâtissière are both ideal for making ahead and storing separately.

For the crispest pastry and freshest strawberries, assemble the tart on the day you intend to serve it.

Why is my crème pâtissière runny?

Make sure you use the full amount of cornflour and cook the pastry cream until it thickens and begins to bubble. Once it reaches that point, continue whisking and cooking for another minute.

It also needs to be completely cold before you assemble the tart. Warm pastry cream will be much softer than properly chilled crème pâtissière.

How do I stop a strawberry tart from becoming soggy?

Start with a properly baked, golden pastry shell and make sure it is completely cool before adding the filling.

The thin egg-white coating helps create a barrier between the pastry and crème pâtissière, while thoroughly drying the strawberries prevents extra moisture from being introduced from above.

Assembling the tart on the day you serve it will also give you the best texture.

How do you make strawberries shiny on a tart?

Place the apricot jam in a small bowl and add a small splash of boiling water from the kettle, just enough to loosen it.

Brush a very thin layer over the strawberries with a pastry brush. You’re looking for a light glossy finish rather than a noticeable coating of jam.

Can I use other fruit instead of strawberries?

Yes. The pâte sucrée and crème pâtissière make a versatile base for other fresh fruit and berries.

Just avoid particularly wet fruit and make sure everything is thoroughly dry before it goes onto the pastry cream.

Final Thoughts

One of the things I love about making tarts is how completely different they can be despite starting from the same basic idea of pastry and filling. This one is all about fresh strawberries and silky vanilla crème pâtissière, while my Fig and Almond Tart takes seasonal fruit in a richer direction with figs and almond frangipane.

And once you’re comfortable making pastry from scratch, it opens the door to plenty of other classic desserts too. My Lemon Meringue Pie is a completely different proposition, with its sharp lemon filling and soft meringue topping, but it relies on that same satisfaction of starting with a good homemade pastry base.

For this tart, though, the strawberries are what make it. When they’re sweet, plentiful and in season, there really isn’t much more you need to do to them.