Gluten-Free Fruit Tart (with vanilla pastry cream)
These gluten-free fruit tartlets with vanilla pastry cream are a fresh and colorful dessert perfect for any occasion. Made with a tender almond GF tart crust, a smooth and creamy vanilla custard filling, and fresh seasonal fruit, these mini tarts are elegant and easy to make at home. They are ideal for parties, gatherings, or summer desserts.
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About these gluten-free mini fruit tarts
These vanilla pastry cream tarts are a perfect summer dessert; they’re fresh, colorful, and look great on any table. This recipe is basic, and you can customize it with your favorite seasonal fruit and toppings. For more GF summer fruit desserts, here is the link to the popular GF plum tart.
The vanilla custard filling is soft, smooth, and pairs very well with the fresh and juicy seasonal fruits. The mini tarts look elegant, but they are super easy to make at home. You can make tartlets or a big tart. Perfect for parties, celebrations, gatherings, potlucks, or any occasion.
Can I make the tartlets ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the tart crust and the vanilla cream in advance and assemble when serving. The vanilla pastry cream needs to be refrigerated.
Ingredients
The main ingredients of the recipe are:
- Flour: gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Almond flour: store-bought almond flour, but you can use a homemade one.
- Butter: unsalted cold butter.
- Eggs: room temperature eggs are better.
- Milk: whole milk for the best flavor and consistency.
- Fruits: fresh seasonal fruits. Ripe but firm, they need to keep their shape and look good, colourful, and bright in the tartlets.
How to make GF Fruit Tartlets
Lightly greased 6 tartlet pans 4 1/2 inches (11,5cm) in diameter, or a 9-inch round tart pan.
For the crust:
Food processor: Place gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, and powdered sugar in a food processor. Add the diced cold butter and process until crumbs form. Add the egg and process until just beginning to clump. Take the dough out of the processor and finish joining it.
By hand: Mix gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add the diced cold butter and mix gently with your fingers. Finally, add the egg and mix everything.
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured (GF flour) counter and then transfer to the prepared tartlet pans. Let the dough chill in the freezer for about 10/15 minutes until it cools down.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C). Prick the crust with a fork and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool.
Vanilla pastry cream:
Beat the egg yolks, egg, cornstarch, and sugar in a medium bowl with a hand whisk. Set aside.
Heat the milk in a deep saucepan until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and pour it over the egg yolk mixture, vigorously mixing with the hand whisk.
Pour all the mixture back into the saucepan and, while mixing with the same hand whisk, cook until it starts to boil. Remove from the fire and add the vanilla and diced butter, and mix well. Let cool.
Assembly
Once the crusts are completely cooled, fill the tartlets with vanilla pastry cream. Place the fruits over the cream and end them up with a drizzle of honey or chopped toasted dried fruits like almonds (optional).
What fruits work best for GF fruit tartlets?
Choose seasonal fruit for the best flavor, scent, and colour. Strawberries and berries are a favorite. Stone fruits like peaches, apricots, cherries, mangoes, and plums never fail.
Can I replace the vanilla pastry cream? What can I use instead?
Yes, replace vanilla pastry cream with whipped cream, white chocolate ganache, yogurt cream (1/2 whipped cream, 1/2 plain Greek yogurt), or mascarpone.
Storing
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It is not recommended to freeze the whole tartlet with the cream and fruits is not recommended.
Variations
- Crust: replace almond flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Topping: end the tarts with a honey drizzle, or chopped dried fruits like walnuts or almonds for crunchiness.
- Baking pan: You can make many tartlets or one big tart.
For more GF cakes with fruits
- Plum tart (easy and delicious)
- White chocolate cheesecake (with plum compote)
- Pear upside-down cake (with almond flour)
- Apple cinnamon cake (quick and easy)
- Peach almond cake
Gluten-Free Fruit Tartlets (with vanilla pastry cream)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g), cold and diced
- 1 egg, room temperature
Vanilla pastry cream:
- 3 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch (40g)
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56g), diced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To end up
- 1 pound fresh fruit, like strawberries or blueberries
Instructions
- Lightly greased 6 tartlet pans 4 1/2 inches (11,5cm) in diameter, or a 9-inch round tart pan.
For the crust:
- Food processor: Place gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, and powdered sugar in a food processor. Add the diced cold butter and process until crumbs form. Add the egg and process until just beginning to clump. Take the dough out of the processor and finish joining it.
- By hand: Mix gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add the diced cold butter and mix gently with your fingers. Finally, add the egg and mix everything.
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured(GF flour) counter and then transfer to the prepared tartlet pans. Let the dough chill in the freezer for about 10/15 minutes until it cools down.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180°C). Prick the crust with a fork and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool.
For the vanilla pastry cream:
- Beat the egg yolks, egg, cornstarch, and sugar in a medium bowl with a hand whisk. Set aside.
- Heat the milk in a deep saucepan until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and pour, while mixing vigorously with the hand whisk, over the egg yolk mixture.
- Pour all the mixture back into the saucepan and, while mixing with the same hand whisk, cook until it starts to boil. Remove from the fire and add the vanilla and diced butter, and mix well. Let cool.
Assembly:
- Once the crusts are completely cooled, fill the tartlets with vanilla pastry cream. Place the fruits over the cream and end them up with a drizzle of honey or chopped toasted dried fruits like almonds (optional).