This Shiny Strawberry Tart is my go-to strawberry dessert when I want something that looks like it came out of a French bakery, but is secretly easy to pull together. The result? A glossy, crowd-pleasing tart that’s not too sweet, keeps its shape, and looks absolutely stunning on any table.

Why You’ll Love This Tart

The crust is the same buttery, flaky base I use for my Lemon Meringue Pie, which, by the way, is still my all-time favorite dessert.
The filling is a silky crème pâtissière — a classic French pastry cream that feels fancy but is surprisingly simple to make.
The shine comes from a quick homemade glaze made with real fruit juice. No gelatin packets. No food coloring. Just that irresistible glossy finish that makes strawberries look like jewels.

And here’s a little bonus: you’ll be left with some extra egg whites after making the pastry cream. Don’t toss them! Turn them into my Caramel Cloud Flan — a two-ingredient dessert that’s light, fluffy, and absolutely magical. It’s the kind of kitchen trick you’ll want to keep up your sleeve all year round.

🛒 Ingredient Overview

You’ll need:

All-purpose flour
Sugar
Unsalted butter
Egg yolks
Whole milk
Cornstarch
Vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries
Water
A pinch of salt

👩‍🍳 Method Overview

Make the crust: Mix the dough, press into a tart pan, chill, and bake until golden.
Make the pastry cream: Heat milk with sugar and cornstarch, temper the yolks, cook until thick, then chill.
Assemble: Fill the cooled crust with chilled pastry cream and top with halved strawberries.
Make the glaze: Simmer strawberries and water, strain without pressing, then cook the juice with sugar and cornstarch until glossy.
Finish: Brush warm glaze over the strawberries and chill the tart for at least 3 hours before serving.

How to Store This Tart

This tart keeps surprisingly well — just be sure to store it properly so it stays beautiful and fresh.

Fridge is best: Cover the tart loosely with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Avoid sogginess: The crust stays crisp for a couple of days, but after that, the fruit juices may start to soften it a bit. Still delicious, just not quite as crisp!

How to Serve (and Impress!)

There’s something magical about the contrast of cool pastry cream, juicy strawberries, and crisp tart crust — it’s the kind of dessert that doesn’t need much help to shine.

But if you want to really make it pop on the plate:

Slice and serve chilled, ideally within a few hours of assembling so everything is at its best.
Add kiwi slices: I love pairing this tart with fresh kiwi — the bright green next to the glossy red strawberries makes the whole dessert look like it belongs on a magazine cover. Plus, the sweet-tart flavor combo is so good.
Serve with coffee or iced tea for the perfect summer afternoon treat.

Making Ahead

Want to get a head start? This tart is very make-ahead friendly with just a little planning:

Tart crust: You can bake the crust up to 2 days in advance. Once it’s completely cool, store it in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze the unbaked dough (or even the fully baked shell) for up to a month — just thaw before using.
Crème pâtissière: Make the pastry cream 1–2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Strawberries and glaze: Slice the berries and prepare the glaze the day you plan to serve the tart for the best shine and freshness.

When you’re ready, just assemble and chill — and you’ve got yourself a showstopper without the last-minute stress.

Equipment

Tart pan with removable bottom 22 cm (9-inch)
Mixing bowls
Saucepan
whisk
Mesh sieve
Pastry Brush
Measuring cups & spoons
Kitchen scale

Ingredients

For the Crust:

60 g sugar about 1/4 cup
100 g unsalted butter about 7 tbsp, softened
3 egg yolks
200 g all-purpose flour about 1 2/3 cups
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cold water add more as needed

For the Pastry Cream:

450 ml whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
100 g white sugar
35 g cornstarch about 3 tbsp
30 g unsalted butter about 2 tbsp

For the Shiny Glaze:

1/2 cup strawberries washed, hulled and chopped
1/2 cup water
50 g sugar about 1/4 cup
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Topping:

450 g Fresh strawberries halved (enough to cover the tart — about 1.5 -2 cups)

Instructions

Make the Crust:

In a bowl, mix sugar, softened butter, egg yolks, flour, and salt until crumbly.
60 g sugar, 100 g unsalted butter, 3 egg yolks, 200 g all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add the cold water a little at a time just until the dough comes together.
1 teaspoon cold water
Press the dough evenly into a 22 cm (9-inch) tart pan with removable bottom. No need to grease.
Chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prick the crust with a fork and bake for 18–22 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool completely.

Make the Pastry Cream:

In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Heat over medium, stirring often, until steaming — don’t let it boil.
450 ml whole milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 100 g white sugar, 35 g cornstarch
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
4 egg yolks
Slowly pour a bit of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking to temper them.
Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and bubbles.
Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth.
30 g unsalted butter
Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until cold.

Assemble the Tart:

Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly into the cooled tart crust.
Arrange halved strawberries over the cream.
450 g Fresh strawberries

Make the Shiny Glaze:

In a small saucepan, simmer chopped strawberries and water until soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes).
1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup water
Pour through a fine sieve without pressing.. Aim for about 100 ml of strawberry liquid.
Return juice to the pan, stir in sugar and cornstarch, and whisk until smooth.
50 g sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the glaze thickens and becomes glossy.
If it gets too thick, add a tiny splash of water and stir until you reach the right consistency.
While still warm, brush the glaze gently over the strawberries.

Chill and Serve:

Refrigerate the tart for at least 3 hours before serving.

Notes

Crust: Dough too dry? Add a bit more water, ½ tsp at a time.

Pastry Cream: Make up to 2 days ahead. Store with plastic wrap touching the surface to avoid skin. Glaze Fix: If your glaze thickens too much, stir in a few drops of water to loosen it.

Leftover Egg Whites? Use them in a Caramel Cloud Flan — a two-ingredient dessert that’s light and dreamy.

Serving Tip: For an extra pop of color and tang, serve slices with fresh kiwi on the side.

Make-Ahead Friendly: Crust and cream can be made a day ahead. Assemble and glaze the day of for best shine and texture.

Nutrition