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Fresh Fruit Tarts

4 from 5 votes

A light Fresh Fruit Tart with simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Top with seasonal fresh fruit.

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Fresh Fruit Tarts -A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts with Lemon Curd – A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

I see so many gorgeous desserts out there every single day.  I want to make them all .. you know the ones dripping with chocolate and caramel, stacked 4 layers high, garnished with peanut butter cups, candied nuts and whipped cream.  If I could be a pastry chef that’s what I would make all day, everyday.  But my time (and calories) are limited so when it comes to making something we can enjoy I always seem to go to the fresh fruit desserts whether it be a pie, or crepe, or tart!  We still had a little left over lemon curd and I started wondering what it would be like blended with cream cheese.  Bingo – Fresh Fruit Tarts with lemon curd cream cheese!

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts-1

The filling is more tart than sweet so I thought a ‘sweeter’ crust may balance out the tartness of the lemon curd.  This super simple shortbread crust came together in less than a minute.  Add butter, confectioners’ sugar and flour in a food processor and pulse until it forms a dough.  Press it into the tart shells and bake for 12 minutes.  No rolling required!

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts -A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

Cool the baked tart shells completely then fill with the lemon curd mixture.  Refrigerate the filled tarts before adding the fruit or serve immediately topped with your favorite fresh fruit and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar if desired.  The simplicity makes them perfectly delicious!

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts -A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

Homemade Lemon Curd is very easy to make and keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  It is a great topping on biscuits, scones, or a spoon.

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts -A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

The crust can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts -A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

And if you’re still not convinced, these tarts are completely calorie free!  Not really – just kidding!  I bet I had you for a minute!  But the recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you’re having a few extra for dinner, or just need an extra dessert – not judging!

 

Fresh Fruit Tarts -A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

 

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Fresh Fruit Tarts

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yield: 3 tarts
Course: Dessert
Author: Tricia
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4 from 5 votes
A light fresh fruit tart with a simple shortbread crust filled with a mixture of cream cheese and lemon curd. Super simple to make and easily adaptable to your favorite fruits.

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperture

For the filling:

  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup lemon curd (see NOTES for recipe link)

For the topping:

  • Assorted sliced fruits and berries kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
  • Powdered sugar for garnish if desired

Instructions

For the shortbread crust:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Combine the flour, butter and ¼ cup of confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse and process until the mixture forms a ball of dough.
  • Divide the dough between three 4 ½ inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Press the dough evenly into the pans using your fingers taking care to fill the indentations in the sides of the pans. Place the tart pans on a cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until the crust is set and lightly browned. Cool completely before filling.

For the filling:

  • Beat the cream cheese in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Add two tablespoons of the lemon curd and beat until blended. Add the remaining lemon curd and blend with a spatula until incorporated. Divide between the cooled tarts and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Top with your favorite fruits and garnish with a dusting of confectioners sugar if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Make your own easy homemade Lemon Curd - click HERE to get the recipe.
  • Shortbread crust recipe adapted from Paula Dean / Food Network
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 954IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Make your own easy Lemon Curd using our recipe!  Click HERE to get the recipe.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tricia

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35 Comments

  1. M Fox

    3 stars
    The crust on this is easy and quite good but the filling is overpowering with its lemon flavor. The curd is delicious by itself but too strong in the filling.

    Reply

  2. Katherine

    Hi,
    I’ve made this tart for someone special every year for their birthday and we both LOVE it! I’m wondering if you could tell me how to adapt it to a larger tart pan so that more of us can enjoy it?

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Dee Ann! You’re going to love having a food processor in the kitchen. It makes so many tasks a breeze! I am partial to the Cuisinart brand of processors. They come in a range of sizes so pick whichever you think you’ll need. They are workhorses in the kitchen and one of my favorite essential tools. Here’s a link to a great deal – check it out! Click on the link for more information – Cuisinart Element 8-cup Food Processor in Silver Cuisinart Elemental 8 Cup Food Processor Silver“>.

      Reply

  10. tanna

    OH, my goodness!!! How beautiful… and I LOVE shortbread… and lemon… and fruit. I just wish the zero calories was true! Ha! I hope you are going to share some bathroom photos. 😉 No, it never seems to end… once you start, one things leads to another… then, to another… and so on. Sending you wishes for a big surge of energy for that painting project! blessings and hugs ~ tanna

    Reply

  11. Amy Tong

    Your fruit tarts look gorgeous! Can’t wait to make some as the berry season is here! Oh my…I probably will be dreaming about these tarts tonight.

    Reply

  15. Becky Green

    Oh My Tricia! These are SO CUTE & just PERFECT for an afternoon tea! They’re BEAUTIFUL, REALLY! I have to tell you, I have been thinking, “calorie free” lately, so when you said “calorie free,” you got me for a minute! LOL 😉

    Reply

  17. Monica

    Tricia, I’ve been craving a lemon tart these last 2 weeks at least. And I’m always thinking I should make a fruit tart but rarely do because I eat all the fresh fruit before I have a chance to get baking. I love how you combined some cream cheese into your lemon curd – such a great idea. And press-in tart crusts are so much easier. These look like they belong in a pastry case at the patisserie.

    Reply