Cardamom Custard Tart (Printer View)

Crisp tart shell with silky cardamom custard topped by colorful fresh fruits.

# What you'll need:

→ Tart Shell

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tablespoons ice water

→ Cardamom Custard

07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
09 - 4 large egg yolks
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Topping

14 - 2 cups assorted fresh fruit including berries, kiwi, mango, and figs
15 - 2 tablespoons apricot jam, optional for glaze

# Method:

01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined. Add cold butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and ice water, pulsing just until dough comes together without overworking.
02 - Transfer dough onto a floured surface, form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan, trim excess edges, and prick base with a fork. Chill for an additional 15 minutes.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line tart shell with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes, carefully remove weights, and continue baking for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely before filling.
04 - In a saucepan, heat milk with crushed cardamom pods until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for 15 minutes to develop flavor. Strain out cardamom pods, discarding solids.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and pale. Gradually whisk in the warm infused milk in a steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
06 - Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and small bubbles appear at the surface, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin formation, and cool to room temperature.
07 - Spread the cooled cardamom custard evenly into the baked tart shell, smoothing the top. Arrange fresh fruit pieces in an attractive pattern across the custard surface.
08 - Gently warm apricot jam with 1 teaspoon water over low heat until liquid. Using a pastry brush, carefully coat the fresh fruit with the glaze to create a glossy, professional finish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cardamom custard is so smooth and aromatic it feels like a secret ingredient everyone will ask about.
  • You can make it ahead and assemble it an hour before guests arrive, which means less stress and more time to enjoy company.
  • Those buttery, shatteringly crisp tart shells are actually easier to nail than you'd think with cold butter and ice water.
02 -
  • If your custard breaks or becomes grainy when you cook it, you've either let it get too hot or whisked in cold milk too quickly—start over with new yolks and temper them slowly by adding milk one tablespoon at a time at first.
  • The tart shell must be completely cool before you fill it, or the warm custard will soften the bottom and make it soggy instead of crisp.
03 -
  • Keep your butter and ice water truly cold by chilling your food processor bowl for five minutes before making the dough—this one step makes the shell noticeably more tender.
  • When you whisk the custard in the saucepan, keep the heat at medium and never stop moving your whisk; the constant motion prevents hot spots where eggs scramble.
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