Tarte aux fraises (French strawberry tart)

Tarte aux fraises is that timeless French strawberry tart featuring a smooth, silky vanilla crème pâtissière filling nestled inside a tender, buttery shortcrust pastry shell. It’s the perfect way to celebrate those fresh, juicy strawberries when they’re at their sweetest. Plus, it’s a go-to dessert for parties and family get-togethers that never fails to impress.

Whenever a recipe calls for pastry cream, it’s always a hit in my house. Seriously, whether it’s crispy cream puffs, filled doughnuts, or a luscious cake, if it has that dreamy vanilla crème pâtissière, my family is all in.

With summer’s bounty of gorgeous fresh strawberries, this classic French strawberry tart is my top pick. The buttery, crumbly crust that just melts in your mouth, paired with a decadent vanilla filling and those bright, ripe strawberries—it’s honestly a match made in dessert heaven.

This dessert is wonderfully simple, yet truly delicious, and it will definitely make your friends and family say “wow!” every time.

Feel free to get creative with the topping, too! Swap in other summer fruits like berries, peaches, or cherries, or give the crème pâtissière a zing with some lemon or orange zest. Make this tart uniquely yours!

This recipe yields 8 to 10 servings, depending on how generous you slice it.

For an extra fresh touch, serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Trust me, it takes this tart over the top.

There’s just something about a Tarte aux Fraises that screams summer—think a crisp, buttery pâte sablée crust, a silky-smooth vanilla crème pâtissière filling, and a crown of fresh, juicy strawberries shining on top. This guide will take you through every step of making this classic French tart, so you can enjoy all those beautiful textures and flavors together in one glorious bite.

Below, you’ll find a detailed, tested recipe (with metric measurements first), step-by-step photos, and practical tips to guide you whether you’re a first-timer at pastry cream or already comfortable with baking. This tart serves 8–10 people, you can make parts of it ahead, and it’s easy to adapt with different fruits and flavors.

• What’s inside: notes on ingredients and substitutes, step-by-step instructions for making both pâte sablée and crème pâtissière, photos to help with tricky bits, plus ideas for assembly and presentation.
• Make-ahead tip: bake the tart shell and prepare the pastry cream in advance. Assemble just before serving to keep that fresh texture.
• Note on style: I’m using metric measurements here (highly recommended!) with some conversion tips and storage advice so you can customize this recipe to your liking.

Excited to bake this stunning strawberry tart? Let’s dive into everything you need to create this dessert masterpiece.

What makes it special

• Metric measurements. A kitchen scale really is your best buddy here—it helps you nail the recipe exactly every single time.
• Step-by-step images. Sometimes seeing is believing, so I’ve included plenty of photos to guide you through the more delicate steps. It’s much easier than it looks, I promise!
• Can be made in advance. Both the pastry shell and crème pâtissière keep well if you prepare them ahead. Then, assemble the tart right before serving—so neat and stress-free!

Ingredients and helpful notes

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 140 g unsalted butter (cold)
• 100 g powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• lemon zest
• 500 g whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 120 g granulated sugar
• 40 g cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 30 g unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• 500 g fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar

How to make it

1. Dice the unsalted butter into small cubes and chill in the fridge or freezer until completely cold.
2. Sift together the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and fine sea salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Add the chilled butter cubes, toss with flour, and rub the butter into the flour between your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand (a few larger lumps are fine).
4. Mix in the egg and lemon zest with a fork until dough clumps form, then gently knead with your palm just until a smooth, sticky dough forms; avoid overworking.
5. Wrap the dough into a disc in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.
6. Place the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment and roll to 2–3 mm thickness; if too stiff, let it sit briefly to soften but don’t let it get warm.
7. Return the rolled dough to the fridge for another 20–30 minutes to firm up.

8. Lightly butter the tart pan, remove the top parchment, flip the dough into the pan, peel off the remaining sheet, press the dough into the corners and up the sides with your knuckles, and trim excess dough with a rolling pin or knife.

9. Chill the lined tart pan in the fridge or freezer for at least 1 hour before baking.
10. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) fan or 175°C (350°F) conventional.
11. Prick the bottom of the chilled dough all over with a fork, line with parchment, fill with baking weights (rice, beans, barley, or pie weights) and blind bake about 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.

12. Remove the weights and parchment and bake another 10–15 minutes until the crust is deep golden and cooked through.

13. Cool the baked tart shell completely on a wire rack before filling.
14. Whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth.
15. Heat the milk in a saucepan just to boiling (or to very hot), then slowly pour about two-thirds of the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking to temper the eggs.

16. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and creamy; continue cooking 1–2 minutes to remove any starchy taste.

17. Remove from heat and stir in the unsalted butter and vanilla paste, whisking until the pastry cream is glossy and smooth.
18. Strain the warm pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into the cooled tart shell (or into a shallow container if storing separately).
19. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin, let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, then chill in the fridge until firm.

20. Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries as needed; place them in a bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, stir gently, and let macerate 10–15 minutes.

21. Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled tart, warm a spoon under hot water and smooth the surface if desired, then arrange the macerated strawberries on top (optionally brush with warm apricot jam for shine).

Baking tips for success

• If your hands get warm quickly or you’re in a hot kitchen, try using a food processor to cut the butter into the flour instead of rubbing by hand. Just use the pulse function so you don’t overmix the dough.
• Always strain your pastry cream through a fine sieve to catch any lumps or tiny cooked bits of egg. This makes the texture silky smooth every time!
• Feel free to make the crust and pastry cream ahead of time. Keep the shell at room temperature wrapped tightly, and store the pastry cream in the fridge covered with plastic wrap. It might firm up and feel gelatinous when cold—simply whip it a bit with an electric mixer before assembling to get it creamy again.

Easy variations and twists

Want to switch things up? These easy variations will let you keep the great technique while having fun with flavors and looks.

• Mix or swap the strawberries with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, or cherries. Use fresh berries as-is but slice firmer fruits thinly for a balanced texture.
• Brighten up the vanilla pastry cream with some lemon or orange zest for an aromatic twist.
• Macerate your berries with a splash of liqueur like Grand Marnier or kirsch, or a bit of aged balsamic for a grown-up flavor.
• Try glazing the fruit with warm apricot jam for that classic shine, or experiment with a light neutral glaze or even melted white chocolate.
• Add crunch with toasted almonds, chopped pistachios, or praline scattered over the top.
• Layer in almond frangipane under the pastry cream for more richness. Just bake the frangipane first in the shell before adding cream and fruit.
• Make individual tartlets or use a rectangular pan to vary the shape and size. Adjust baking times for smaller pans.
• For gluten-free crusts, try a tested gluten-free flour blend and be sure to chill the dough well since gluten-free doughs tend to be more delicate.
• Presentation ideas: Arrange strawberry slices in neat concentric circles and brush with jam for elegance, or go rustic by piling on macerated berries loosely.

Storing and serving later

Store your Tarte aux Fraises covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The crust will gradually soften the longer it sits, so enjoy it fresh for the best crunch!

Common questions and answers

Your pastry cream is lumpy.

If your milk was too hot when tempering the eggs or you didn’t whisk enough, you might get cooked egg bits. No problem—just strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve to get a silky smooth texture.

Your pastry cream is runny.

This usually means not enough cornstarch was added or it wasn’t cooked long enough. Next time, be sure to use a kitchen scale for accuracy and cook the cream thoroughly until thickened.

Can you freeze the tart shell?

Yes! You can freeze the unbaked crust and bake it fresh when you’re ready. You can also freeze a baked crust, but it may lose some crispness. In both cases, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.