Rustic French Fruit Tart Recipe (2024)

I hope you enjoy this French fruit tart recipe! I have included two versions of this recipe: a traditional method, and a flaky crust method. The traditional recipe is dairy free!

My aunt was taught by her aunts to make this recipe with oil. So that is how we made it. It is delicious and the perfect consistency!

If however, you prefer more a pie-like crust, instead of oil, use butter. In my pear tart recipe, I opt for an all-butter crust, which is truly my favorite!

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Ingredients for A French Fruit Tart Crust

• Flour – All-purpose Flour
• Oil or Cold Butter
• Salt
• Sugar
• Ice water

Ingredients for The Filling

• Jam or jelly – Choose any flavor!
• Sliced fruit for topping – You can use any type of fruit!

Prep — 15 minutes mins

Cook — 20 minutes mins

Total — 35 minutes mins

Serves — 8

• FOR THE CRUST:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup oil or cold butter
• dash of salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3-5 tablespoons ice water plus more if necessary
• FOR THE FILLING:
• 8 oz. jam or jelly any flavor
• sliced fruit for topping any type of fruit!

TRADITIONAL FRENCH METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 375 F

• Combine flour, pinch of salt, sugar, oil, and ice water into a large bowl. Use your hands to crumble the mixture and work until it forms into a dough. If the dough is too crumbly, add 1 teaspoon oil and a 1 tablespoon water and work until it holds together like wet sand. *This is a “little more of this, little more of that until it’s perfect” kind of recipe. See the photo examples below.

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• Use your hands to press the dough into the tart pan. Use the back of a cup to press the dough firmly and evenly. Use your fingers to press some of the dough into the side of the tart pan creating a lip of crust.

• Pour 8 oz. of jelly directly over the crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread the jelly evenly over the crust.

• Slice fresh fruit and adorn decoratively over the jelly. Sprinkle sugar, and if desired, cinnamon over the top.

• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

• Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the jelly is bubbling.

• Cool and enjoy any time of day with a glass of French wine! ;)

• Flaky Crust Method:This method is nearly identical to the method described above, except it uses butter rather than oil, and the crust is rolled out rather than pressed into shape. This will result in a crust that resembles pie crust. This is not the method my aunt was taught, or shared with me, but I thought I would share with you in case you’d prefer to use butter.

• The most important part of this method is to work quickly, and keep the butter as cold as possible.

• Preheat oven to 375 F

• Combine flour, pinch of salt, sugar, butter (cut into pea sized pieces), and ice water into a large bowl.

• Use your hands to crumble the mixture and work until combined into a dough. Work quickly! Add more ice water as needed to form the dough. *Alternatively, you may use a pastry cutter or food processor here rather than combining with your hands.

• Ball up the dough, and transfer to a flat surface. Form the dough into a disc shape and roll out like pie dough. Add a bit more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Roll the dough 1/4-1/8” thick. Carefully transfer the rolled out dough to a tart pan.

• Use your fingers to press the dough into the tart pan creating a lip. Then trim off any excess dough that overflows from the edge of the tart pan. Do not stretch the dough, or it will shrink while cooking. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent the crust from puffing up while baking.

• Pour 8 oz. of jelly directly over the crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread the jelly evenly over the crust.

• Slice fresh fruit and adorn decoratively over the jelly.

• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

• Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the jelly is bubbling.

Flaky Crust Method

This method is nearly identical to the method described above, except it uses butter rather than oil, and the crust is rolled out rather than pressed into shape. This will result in a crust that resembles pie crust. This is not the method my aunt was taught, or shared with me, but I thought I would share with you in case you’d prefer to use butter.

The most important part of this method is to work quickly, and keep the butter as cold as possible.

Preheat oven to 375 F

1. Combine flour, pinch of salt, sugar, butter (cut into pea sized pieces), and ice water into a large bowl. Use your hands to crumble the mixture and work until combined into a dough. Work quickly! Add more ice water as needed to form the dough. *Alternatively, you may use a pastry cutter or food processor here rather than combining with your hands.
2. Ball up the dough, and transfer to a flat surface. Form the dough into a disc shape and roll out like pie dough. Add a bit more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Roll the dough 1/4-1/8” thick. Carefully transfer the rolled out dough to a tart pan.
3. Use your fingers to press the dough into the tart pan creating a lip. Then trim off any excess dough that overflows from the edge of the tart pan. Do not stretch the dough, or it will shrink while cooking. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent the crust from puffing up while baking.
4. Pour 8 oz. of jelly directly over the crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread the jelly evenly over the crust.
5. Slice fresh fruit and adorn decoratively over the jelly.
6. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the jelly is bubbling.