Classic French Strawberry Tart Recipe (Tarte aux Fraises)

Fresh, sweet, summery and fruity, this French strawberry tart (tarte aux fraises) brings together juicy strawberries, almond cream, smooth vanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière) and a flaky puff pastry shell. This classic dessert celebrates strawberry season and makes an elegant, crowd-pleasing centerpiece for summer gatherings.

You can’t go wrong with this strawberry tart. If you want a bright, fruity dessert that feels both simple and refined, this tarte aux fraises is an excellent choice.

In France, tarte aux fraises appears in bakeries and pâtisseries with the arrival of strawberries in spring. The classic tart usually uses a sandy sweet pastry (pâte sablée), though many chefs also use puff pastry for a lighter, flakier base.

A key component is crème pâtissière, the rich vanilla pastry cream often used as the foundation for fruit tarts. Another popular layer is almond cream (crème d’amande), which is baked inside the pastry shell to add texture and flavor. Finally, fresh seasonal strawberries—glazed with apricot jam or a clear fruit glaze—crowd the top and make the tart shine.

What is tarte aux fraises

Tarte aux fraises is a traditional French dessert made with a buttery tart crust, pastry cream and fresh strawberries. Literally translated, “tarte” means tart and “fraises” means strawberries. The combination of creamy custard, almond filling and bright berries is the heart of the recipe.

Why you should try this recipe

• This is an iconic French dessert—perfect if you enjoy classic pastry.
• The recipe is straightforward and offers make-ahead steps to simplify the serving day.
• It highlights fresh strawberries and is ideal as a light, seasonal summer dessert.

Ingredients

For exact ingredient amounts and full instructions, see the recipe card below.

• Puff pastry: Use ready-rolled frozen puff pastry or roll your own between parchment sheets.
• Butter: Use softened salted butter for the almond cream and unsalted butter for the pastry cream. European-style butter (around 82% fat) works best.
• Sugar: Brown sugar for the almond cream and granulated or caster sugar for the pastry cream.
• Ground almonds: Almond flour or finely ground slivered almonds.
• Eggs: Separate yolks for the pastry cream and use room-temperature eggs for best results.
• Milk: Whole milk yields a rich, silky pastry cream.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the crème pâtissière; you can substitute all-purpose flour if needed.
• Vanilla: A split vanilla bean gives the best flavor; use vanilla extract or paste as an alternative.
• Strawberries: Choose ripe, seasonal berries. Hull them and sort by size to aid decoration; leave some with tops for garnish.
• Garnishes: Icing (powdered) sugar, chopped pistachios or toasted flaked almonds and fresh mint or verbena leaves are optional finishing touches.

Recipe variations

Make individual tartlets (tartelettes) using small tins for elegant single-serve portions. You can also use wild strawberries for a more intense flavor.

Decoration ideas:

• Arrange halved strawberries facing alternately up and down; overlap slices starting from the outer edge toward the center for a classic look.
• Sliced strawberries can be fanned in a circular “rose” pattern for a refined presentation.
• Finish by brushing the fruit with warm apricot jam or a clear glaze and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, toasted almonds and a few mint leaves.

How to make French strawberry tart

The tart is assembled in stages: prepare the almond cream, bake the puff pastry shell, make the crème pâtissière, then assemble and decorate.

Make the almond cream

Combine softened butter, ground almonds and sugar with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and mix gently until combined. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill.

Make the puff pastry crust

Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Thaw the puff pastry and roll it to about 5 mm (⅕ inch) thick between parchment sheets. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing pastry into the sides and trimming the edge. Prick the base with a fork.

Blind-bake the shell for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and press the base gently to flatten. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C), spread the almond cream over the shell and bake another 20 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before transferring to a serving plate.

Make the pastry cream (crème pâtissière)

Split a vanilla bean and scrape the seeds. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Heat milk with the vanilla seeds until just boiling, remove the pod and temper the egg mixture by whisking in hot milk. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated.

Transfer the pastry cream to a shallow dish and cover it directly with cling film so the film touches the surface to avoid a skin. Let the cream cool to room temperature before use.

Assemble the tart

Lightly whisk the cooled pastry cream and spread it over the baked almond cream layer. Wash, hull and drain the strawberries. Halve larger berries and leave some whole with tops for decoration. Arrange the strawberries over the cream, starting from the outside and working inward. Chill the tart for at least one hour before serving.

Serve

Dust the tart edges lightly with icing sugar. For contrast, dust a few halved strawberries with a little powdered sugar and replace them on the tart. Sprinkle chopped pistachios or toasted flaked almonds and add a few small mint leaves. Bon appétit!

Expert Tips

1. Do not overmix the almond cream—overworking it can cause excessive rise and overflow during baking. Mix gently with a rubber spatula.
2. Watch the almond cream’s color while baking; it should be lightly golden.
3. Slice strawberries according to size: halves for large berries, quarters for medium, or thin slices for a fanned effect.
4. Prepare components ahead: the tart shell with almond cream and the pastry cream can be made a day in advance for easier assembly on serving day.

Storing and freezing

To store: Keep the assembled tart refrigerated and consume within 24 hours for best texture and flavor.

Freezing: Freezing the fully assembled tart is not recommended because the pastry cream and fruit won’t retain their texture after thawing. You can freeze the baked tart shell (without fruit) and thaw before filling.

Recipe FAQ

Love French fruit tarts? Try these next!

Browse the tart recipes category on the original site for more inspiration.

Want more delicious recipes? Subscribe to the newsletter and follow the author on social channels for updates. If you try this recipe, consider leaving a rating and comment on the recipe card.

Recipe card

Nutrition information is provided as a general guideline and was calculated using an online nutrition tool. Use it for reference only.

This recipe originally published April 7, 2021 and has been updated with improved content and photos. Photos are by the author.