Pixel Art Fruit Tart

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-23 · Updated 2026-06-23

A vibrant fruit tart inspired by colorful web pixel art, featuring a crisp pastry base topped with an array of fresh fruits and a smooth vanilla custard. This french-inspired desserts ready in about 50 minutes layers all-purpose flour, cold and cubed unsalted butter, granulated sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 7 tbsp, cold and cubed unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp cold water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for custard)
• 2 cups, sliced mixed fresh fruits (kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, mango)
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 tbsp water (for glaze)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cut in 7 tbsp cold, cubed unsalted butter using a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 3 tbsp cold water and mix until dough forms. Press dough into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, prick base with fork, and chill for 15 minutes.
2. Step 2: Bake tart shell for 20 minutes until golden around edges; let cool completely.
3. Step 3: In a saucepan, heat 1 cup whole milk and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste over medium heat until just simmering. In a bowl, whisk 3 large egg yolks, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 3 tbsp cornstarch until smooth.
4. Step 4: Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper eggs. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Step 5: Pour custard into cooled tart shell, smoothing the surface. Arrange 2 cups mixed fresh sliced fruits decoratively over custard.
6. Step 6: In a small saucepan, warm 2 tbsp apricot jam with 1 tbsp water until melted and smooth. Brush glaze over fruit to shine. Chill tart for at least 1 hour before serving.