Gluten-Free Strawberry Tart (with vanilla pastry cream and strawberry jelly sauce)
This fresh strawberry tart is incredible! It features a buttery crust, smooth vanilla pastry cream, juicy fresh strawberries, and an amazing strawberry jelly sauce. Perfect for summer, spring, family gatherings, or special occasions.
Jump to Recipe
Summer fruit tart
This gluten-free strawberry jelly tart is amazing and a perfect summer dessert to take advantage of strawberry season. It has a buttery, soft crust and a smooth, tangy vanilla pastry cream. Takes fresh strawberries and an incredible strawberry jelly sauce that pairs perfectly, adding flavor and consistency.
The fresh fruit tart is a total crowd-pleaser and a favorite. You can make the crust and vanilla pastry cream in advance. Great for gatherings, potlucks, celebrations, or any occasion. For more strawberry desserts for spring, here is the link to these strawberry whoopie pies.
How to make a gluten-free fruit tart
This strawberry tart recipe has 3 parts, made separately, before assembling the tart. Read the recipe carefully before starting and check the ingredients.
The crust:
Place gluten-free all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add the diced cold butter and pulse until crumbs form. Add the water and process until just beginning to clump. Take the dough out and finish joining it. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. You can also make the dough by hand.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a round 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for at least 5 minutes. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured (GF flour) counter and then transfer to the prepared pan. Prick the crust with a fork and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let 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, add vanilla and diced butter, and mix well. Let it cool at room temperature, and then store it in the fridge, covering it with plastic wrap, touching the surface.
Strawberry Sauce:
Place the halved strawberries, sugar, and water in a deep saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the strawberries soften and begin to break down.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down to release as much juice as possible. You should have about 1 cup of strawberry liquid.
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of cold water and microwave for a few seconds, just until melted (don’t let it boil), then whisk it into the warm strawberry mixture. Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, until it’s no longer hot but still fluid and pourable.
To Assemble the Tart:
When the crust is completely cooled, spread the pastry cream evenly on the bottom. Arrange halved, cut side down, strawberries over the pastry cream until the surface is completely covered.
Spoon the warm strawberry sauce over the fruit, ensuring each berry gets a glossy coating.
Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to fully set.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Baking notes
- Organization: Read the recipe carefully and gather all the ingredients. This recipe has 3 stages; plan your time accordingly, taking resting times into account. It’s best to prepare the crust and custard in advance, and then assemble the tart with the sauce.
- Make-ahead: You can make the crust and the vanilla pastry cream the day before, and make the strawberry sauce when assembling.
- Vanilla pastry cream: you must store it in the refrigerator, covering it with plastic wrap, touching the surface.
- Strawberries: Choose ripe but firm strawberries. Bright red all over, with no white or green tips. Try to use the same size strawberries and avoid overripe ones.
- The crust must be completely cold when spreading the vanilla pastry cream.
- Let the assembled tart rest at least 6 hours, or overnight, to set.
For more strawberry desserts
- Strawberry almond cake
- Strawberry panna cotta
- Strawberry Whoopie Pies
- Strawberry streusel muffins
- Strawberry crisp
Gluten-Free Strawberry Jelly Tart (with vanilla pastry cream)
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 ¼ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g)
- 1/4 cup ice-cold water
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 3 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry sauce:
- 12 ounces strawberries, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon gelatin powder
- 1 tablespoon water
Topping:
- 17 ounces fresh strawberries, halved
Instructions
Crust:
- Place gluten-free all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add the diced cold butter and process until crumbs form. Add the water and process until just beginning to clump. Take the dough out and finish joining it. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. You can also make the dough by hand.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a round 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for at least 5 minutes. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured (GF flour) counter and then transfer to the prepared pan. Prick the crust with a fork. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let 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, 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. til it starts to boil. Remove from the fire, add vanilla and diced butter, and mix well. Let it cool at room temperature, and then store it in the fridge, covering it with plastic wrap, touching the surface.
Strawberry sauce:
- Place the halved strawberries, sugar, and water in a deep saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the strawberries soften and begin to break down.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down to release as much juice as possible. You should have about 1 cup of strawberry liquid.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of cold water and microwave for a few seconds, just until melted (don’t let it boil), then whisk it into the warm strawberry mixture. Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, until it’s no longer hot but still fluid and pourable.
Assemble the tart:
- When the crust is completely cooled, spread the pastry cream evenly on the bottom. Arrange halved strawberries, cut side down, over the pastry cream until the surface is completely covered. Spoon the warm strawberry sauce over the fruit, ensuring each berry gets a glossy coating.
- Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to fully set.