Fruit Tart with Custard Filling
A Singapore-style baked fruit tart with a crisp buttery pastry shell and silky custard filling, finished with glossy tropical fruit — a perfect teatime or festive treat.
About this dish
This Fruit Tart with Custard Filling brings a touch of neighbourhood patisserie to your kopi-and-kueh mornings or weekend brunches in Tiong Bahru and the East Coast. Think of it as a home-baked café favourite: a tender, crumbly tart shell holding a smooth, vanilla pastry cream, topped with vibrant slices of mango, strawberries, kiwi and berries. It’s the kind of dessert you’ll spot on a cafe table alongside a kopi or iced lemon tea, or bring to a family potluck or birthday celebration.
The flavour profile is bright and balanced — buttery shortcrust contrasts with the rich but silky custard, while fresh fruit adds acidity and crunch. For a local twist, swap a little vanilla for pandan extract or drizzle a bit of gula Melaka caramel for depth; seasonal tropical fruit from your neighbourhood wet market or Sheng Siong will make it sing. It’s suited for home bakers who want a slightly technical but rewarding bake — blind-baking the shell, tempering eggs, and glazing the fruit are the key moments.
Serve chilled as a teatime snack, a light dessert after zi char-style family dinners, or on festive spreads during CNY or family gatherings. Leftovers keep well in the fridge and make a pretty assembly for next-day office makan or as a show-stopping contribution to a potluck at your kopitiam-run community table.
Ingredients
- 200 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 30 g icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 500 ml whole milk
- 120 g caster (superfine) sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks (for custard)
- 30 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped)
- 20 g unsalted butter (for finishing custard)
- 250 g mixed fresh fruit (e.g. strawberries, kiwi, mango), sliced
- 100 g blueberries or mixed berries
- 2 tbsp apricot jam (for glaze) plus 1 tbsp water, warmed
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (to brighten fruit)
- Optional: 1 tsp pandan extract for a local twist
- Optional: 1 tbsp gelatin dissolved in 30 ml water for a firmer glaze (use if humid)
- Optional garnish: mint leaves or edible flowers
Step-by-Step Method
- Make the tart dough: In a bowl, pulse 200 g plain flour, 30 g icing sugar and a pinch of salt; rub in 115 g cold cubed butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then mix in 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp cold water to form a dough. Do not overwork.
- Chill the dough: Flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30–60 minutes to firm up (important for a crisp shell in Singapore's humid climate).
- Blind-bake the tart shell: Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and line a 23–25 cm tart tin. Prick base with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake 15–18 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake another 5–8 minutes until golden. Let cool.
- Make the pastry custard (crème pâtissière): Heat 500 ml milk with half of 120 g sugar and the vanilla over medium heat until nearly boiling. In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with remaining sugar and 30 g cornflour until smooth. Temper the egg mix by adding a ladle of hot milk, then return all to the pan.
- Cook the custard: Over medium-low heat, stir constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer (about 2–4 minutes). Cook for a further minute, then remove from heat. Stir in 20 g butter for shine and strain through a sieve to remove lumps. If using pandan, add 1 tsp now.
- Cool the custard: Cover with cling film pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Chill until fully cold (about 30–45 minutes). This can be done in the fridge to speed up.
- Prepare fruit and glaze: Slice 250 g mixed fruit (mango, strawberries, kiwi) and wash berries. Warm 2 tbsp apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and strain; if using gelatin, bloom and add for a firmer glaze suitable for humid Singapore weather.
- Assemble the tart: Spoon or pipe the chilled custard into the cooled tart shell and smooth the surface. Arrange fruit attractively on top, starting from the outer edge.
- Glaze and chill: Lightly brush the fruit with the warmed apricot glaze to give shine and to seal in freshness. Chill the tart for at least 1 hour to set before serving.
- Serve: Bring the tart out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving so the custard softens slightly. Slice with a hot knife for clean cuts and enjoy with kopi, iced lemon tea or a glass of sparkling wine for a celebratory touch.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. For best texture in Singapore's humidity, add glaze just before serving to prevent soggy fruit.
Tips & Serving Ideas
- Buy good-quality butter and fresh tropical fruit from NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or your neighbourhood wet market for the best flavour; ripe mangoes from the market are especially fragrant.
- Chill the dough well before rolling to prevent shrinking — in Singapore heat, keep the dough chilled and work quickly on a cool surface.
- For a non-soggy base, blind-bake the shell thoroughly and brush a thin layer of melted chocolate or apricot jam inside the shell before filling to seal it.
- When making the custard, temper the egg yolks slowly and cook on medium-low while stirring constantly to avoid curdling — the texture should be silky, not grainy.
- If you prefer a tropical twist, mix a teaspoon of pandan extract into the custard or drizzle a little gula Melaka caramel over sliced mango for local character.
- Use a thin layer of warmed apricot jam (or gelatin + fruit juice) as glaze to keep fruit shiny and fresh in humid conditions; add gelatin if you need a firmer set for transport.
- Make-ahead: bake the shell and make the custard a day ahead. Assemble on the day to keep fruit bright — perfect for potlucks or festive gatherings.
- To cut clean slices, warm a knife under hot water, dry it, and slice in one smooth motion between each cut.
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