What is fruit tart filling made of?

Fruit tart filling is made from a few simple ingredients that allow the fresh fruit flavor to shine. The basic components are fruit, sugar, cornstarch, and flavorings like vanilla or lemon. By understanding the role each ingredient plays, you can easily make delicious fruit fillings at home.

Fruit

The star ingredient in fruit tart filling is fresh fruit. Almost any type of fruit can be used to make a tasty filling. The most popular choices are berries, stone fruits like peaches or apricots, and orchard fruits like apples or pears. The fruit provides the main flavor, color, and texture.

Fruit is typically diced or sliced to an even size before cooking. This ensures the filling has nice, visible pieces of fruit distributed throughout. Fruit can be used on its own or combined. For example, a mixed berry filling might include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

Sugar

Sugar is added to fruit tart fillings for sweetness and to aid in thickening. White granulated sugar is most commonly used. The amount added depends on the natural sweetness of the fruit. Tart fruits like rhubarb or cranberries will need more sugar than naturally sweeter ones like peaches.

Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup can also be used in place of or in addition to regular sugar. This adds deeper, more complex flavors to the filling.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is one of the key ingredients that turns liquid fruit juice into a thick, spreadable filling. It acts as a thickener when combined with the fruit’s natural juices and heated. Typically 1-3 tablespoons of cornstarch is used for every 3 cups of fruit.

Cornstarch must be dissolved in cold water or juice before adding it to hot fruit. This prevents clumping. Stir the mixture continuously as it simmers to fully thicken.

Flavorings

Fruit tart fillings often include complementary flavorings like vanilla, lemon juice, zest, spices, liquors, or extracts. Vanilla is commonly added to nearly any fruit filling. It enhances the fruit flavor without overpowering it.

Citrus juices and zests boost berry, stone fruit, and orchard fruit fillings. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger pair well with apples, pears, peaches, and cherries. Almond and vanilla extracts enhance apricot fillings.

Lastly, liquors like brandy, rum, kirsch, or framboise are used sparingly in some fillings. They should complement the main fruit.

Extra Add-Ins

Beyond the main ingredients, there are a few optional extras that can be added to fruit tart fillings:

• Butter – A small amount of butter can be creamed with the sugar to give a smoother, richer consistency.
• Jam – Swirling in a spoonful of the same fruit jam amplifies the fruit flavor.
• Nut butter – A dollop of almond or peanut butter pairs nicely with apples or pears.
• Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom can enhance certain fillings.
• Salt – A pinch of salt helps balance sweetness and accentuate flavors.
• Extracts – Almond, vanilla, maple, and other extracts boost flavor complexity.
• Juice/Zest – Lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juice brightens taste and zest provides aroma.

Steps to Make Fruit Tart Filling

Making homemade fruit tart filling is simple with these easy steps:

1. Prep the fruit – Rinse, peel, core, and slice fruit into even sized pieces. Pat dry if needed.
2. Combine fruit, sugar, cornstarch – Toss fruit with sugar and cornstarch. Stir to evenly coat fruit.
3. Dissolve cornstarch – In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch with 2-3 Tbsp cold water or juice. Mix until smooth.
4. Cook fruit mixture – Heat fruit gently over medium heat. Once bubbling, add cornstarch mixture and cook 1-2 more minutes.
5. Add flavorings – Remove filling from heat. Stir in vanilla, spices, zest, liquor, extracts, nut butter, or other flavorings.
6. Cool completely – Transfer filling to a bowl and refrigerate until cooled completely before using.

The filling can be made 1-2 days in advance. Let it come to room temperature before assembling and serving fruit tarts.

Tips for Perfect Fruit Tart Filling

Follow these tips for flawless fruit tart filling every time:

• Use ripe, flavorful fruit – Choose fruit at peak ripeness for ideal sweetness and flavor.
• Toss fruit in sugar, cornstarch – Coating fruit evenly prevents excess juice and floating pieces.
• Simmer gently – Cook over medium-low heat to prevent scorching or boiling over.
• Stir continuously – Frequently stirring helps thicken filling evenly.
• Don’t over-thicken – Remove filling from heat while still a bit loose, as it will thicken more upon cooling.
• Chill thoroughly – Fillings need to chill for 2-3 hours minimum to set up.
• Adjust sweetness – Add more sugar if needed once chilled and flavors have developed.
• Reheat gently – Warm through loosened filling gently before assembling tarts.

Ideas for Fruit Tart Fillings

Here are some delicious flavor combinations to inspire your fruit tart fillings:

Berries

• Mixed berry – Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry.
• Strawberry-rhubarb
• Blackberry-peach
• Blueberry-lemon
• Raspberry-lime
• Cranberry-orange

Stone Fruit

• Apricot-almond
• Peach-basil
• Plum-ginger
• Cherry-vanilla
• Nectarine-honey

Orchard Fruit

• Apple-cinnamon
• Pear-cardamom
• Apple-pear-maple
• Quince-ginger
• Fig-orange

Tropical Fruit

• Pineapple-coconut
• Mango-lime
• Papaya-passion fruit
• Banana-caramel
• Guava-rum

Vegetable Fruit

• Pumpkin-pecan
• Sweet potato-maple
• Beet-orange
• Carrot-ginger
• Butternut squash-cinnamon

Fruit Tart Filling Recipes

Here are 3 delicious recipes to try making your own fruit tart fillings at home:

Easy Berry Tart Filling

Yield: Enough for one 9-inch tart

• 2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Gently rinse and pat dry berries. Slice any large berries in half.
2. In a bowl, toss berries with sugar and cornstarch until coated evenly.
3. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until dissolved.
4. Pour berry mixture into a medium saucepan. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until bubbling.
5. Reduce heat to low. Stir cornstarch mixture again and pour into fruit. Cook 1-2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
6. Remove pan from heat. Let filling cool completely before using, about 2 hours.

Sweet Apricot-Almond Filling

Yield: Enough for one 9-inch tart

• 10-12 apricots, pitted and sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp amaretto or almond extract
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1. Slice apricots and toss with sugar until coated. Let sit 15 minutes to release juices.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2 tbsp cold water. Set aside.
3. Pour apricot mixture into a medium saucepan. Stir in amaretto and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Reduce heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook 2 minutes until thickened.
5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in toasted almonds. Let filling cool completely before using.

Spiced Pear-Apple Filling

Yield: Enough for one 9-inch tart

• 2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• Pinch of nutmeg

1. Combine diced apples and pears in a bowl. Toss with brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg until coated.
2. Pour fruit mixture into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until fruit softens and releases juice.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2 tbsp cold water. Pour into fruit and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Remove from heat.
5. Allow filling to cool completely before using, about 2-3 hours.

Storing and Freezing Fruit Tart Filling

Leftover fruit tart filling can be stored short term in the refrigerator or frozen for longer storage. Here are some guidelines:

Refrigeration

• Let filling cool completely first, about 2-3 hours.
• Transfer to an airtight container. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing the container.
• Refrigerate up to 4 days.

Freezing

• Again, cool filling fully before freezing.
• Spoon into freezer-safe zip top bags or containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
• Lay bags flat in freezer to freeze quickly.
• Once frozen, can store up to 3 months.
• Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

Using Fruit Tart Filling

Sweet, colorful fruit tart fillings have so many uses beyond just tarts. Consider these creative ways to enjoy fruit fillings:

• Tarts – Spread into mini phyllo shells or larger tart pans lined with pastry.
• Turnovers – Enclose in circles of pie dough pinched shut into half-moons.
• Hand Pies – Fill dough rounds, seal edges with fork, bake into personal hand pies.
• Galettes – Spoon onto round of pie dough, fold edges over filling in a rustic galette.
• Crepes – Fill cooked crepes with a dollop of filling and roll up.
• Parfaits – Alternate layers of filling and whipped cream in a glass.
• Pancakes – Top cooked pancakes or crepes with a spoonful of fruit filling.
• French Toast – Spread filling over bread before dipping in egg and frying.
• Stuffed Baked Goods – Fill donuts, muffins, bread, pancakes, French toast.
• Yogurt Parfait – Layer filling and yogurt in a parfait glass.
• Ice Cream – Top scoops of vanilla ice cream with fruit filling.
• Oatmeal – Stir a dollop of filling into a bowl of oatmeal.
• Cakes – Use as a filling between cake layers or frosting.

The possibilities are endless with delicious homemade fruit tart fillings! Adjust the ingredients and flavors to match your favorite fruits and occasions. Let your imagination run wild with these vivid, tasty fillings.