French Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream

Discover the delicious and authentic French Strawberry Tart: a sweet pastry crust, a creamy vanilla pastry curd based on French Chef Philippe Conticini recipe, and some fresh strawberries on top. This recipe is a dream come true!

Homemade tarte aux fraises

Back to basics today with my monthly French baking recipe. This time, I’m sharing one of the most popular dessert in France when strawberries are in season, from early May to late August. In my family, it’s the traditional dessert for my sister’s birthday party every year in May.

The French Strawberry Tart is more than just a dessert. It evokes spring, family gatherings, Mother’s Day, and other garden parties. There is definitely something festive in this fruit tart: it’s generous, sweet, and delicious! If you are French or if you lived in France for a while, I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about. The homemade strawberry tart is a timeless dessert!

Start with the crust (pâte sablée)…

Let’s start with the crust, which is a so-called “pâte sablée”. The name seems a little intimidating at first, but the recipe is not very difficult. Just mix all the ingredients following the recipe instructions and wrap the dough in between two cling film sheets. Then, flatten lightly with your hand and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

A pâte sablée is by definition very fragile, so make sure you roll it out properly or it will collapse. To do so, roll out the dough into a large disk, by placing it in between two large sheets of cling film. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Then, very carefully transfer the crust to a tart pan with detachable bottom, by adjusting with your finger tips if needed.

How to blind-bake the pie crust?

The particularity of the pâte sablée compared to other pie crusts is that you need to blind-bake it before adding the filling. In France, we usually prick the tart with a fork before baking, but I personally prefer to use ceramic pie weights over a piece of parchment paper lining the pie crust. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, keeping in mind that the crust must be slightly golden but not too much or it will collapse when you then will try to slice it. If you use a tart pan with detachable bottom, you can transfer the crust to a cooling rack while you are busy preparing the pastry cream.

The pastry cream from French pastry chef Philippe Conticini

I have tried and tested many different pastry cream recipes over the years. Here, I used the recipe from Philippe Conticini, a famous pastry chef in France. I once went to his cooking demo in France and got lucky to try his version of the recipe, with a smooth, creamy texture, and a sweet vanilla aroma. If you speak French, you can follow this little video where he explains the recipe, step-by-step.

In my version, I used only one vanilla pod (instead of three) for great results. Try in any case to avoid artificial vanilla extract in this recipe, the natural flavor of vanilla is so much better! Once the pastry cream is ready, cover with cling film, creating contact with the cream, and let cool. Then, generously spread over the pie crust.

The final touch: the strawberries!

Top with fresh strawberries, sliced or cut in half, depending on your own personal preferences. As a final touch, you can if you want brush the strawberries with a quick water-sugar syrup. It will give a beautiful glaze to your tart and bring some additional sweetness if your strawberries are not dark-red in color already. I usually skip this step, enjoying the natural taste of strawberries, but it is completely up to you to use the syrup if you want.

Other strawberry recipes you will love:

• Strawberry Rolls with Lemon Glaze
• Madeleine Strawberry Charlotte Cake
• Strawberry French Toasts
• Meringue Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
• Easy Strawberry Shortcake

French Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Yield: 8 slices 1x
• Category: Cakes and Pies
• Cuisine: French recipes

Discover the delicious and authentic French Strawberry Tart: a sweet pastry crust, a creamy vanilla pastry curd, and some fresh strawberries on top. 

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Ingredients

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For the pâte sablée:

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup (160g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup (70g) sugar

For the pastry cream:

• 1 cup (250 ml) milk
• 1 vanilla pod, seeded
• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ cup (40g) sugar
• 1 Tablespoon (10g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ Tablespoon (12g) cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon (20g) unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)*

For the strawberries:

• 1 lb (500g) fresh strawberries
• Pistachios, cruched

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Instructions

For the pâte sablée:

1. Sift the flour over a salad bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and work it with your fingertips with the flour until you get a sandy texture.
2. Dig a well in the center and break the egg . Pour the sugar and mix all the ingredients with your fingertips. Don’t overmix. Flatten the dough with your hands unil it comes together. Roll into a ball, then quickly flatten the dough between two sheets of cling film. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 or 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
4. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough between the sheets of cling film into a large disc. Remove cling film and transfer the dough into the tart pan. Line the bottom of the crust with a piece of parchment paper and spread ceramic pie weights on top. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the pastry cream:

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan together with the vanilla pod and seeds. Stir and heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it slightly starts bubbling.
2. Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the flour and cornflour. Very gradually pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
3. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat, stir in the butter and Grand Marnier if using, and stir well. Remove the vanilla pod, and transfer the pastry curd into a cold bowl. Cover with cling film, creating contact with the cream.

To assemble the tart:

1. Spread the pastry cream over the crust, then arrange strawberries cut in halves or slices over the cream.
2. Sprinkle with some crushed pistachios and enjoy.**

Notes

* The authentic pastry cream doesn’t require Grand Marnier but I personally like to add a dash of Grand Marnier. It gives a lovely kick to the cream!
** As a final touch and/or if your strawberries are not sweet enough, brush them with a simple syrup made of sugar and water. Your tart will look sumptuous!

Berries, Eggs, Fruit Desserts, Spring, Summer, Tarts & Pies

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this French Strawberry Tart with Pastry Cream, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!