This easy fruit tart has a simple no-bake biscuit crust, a whipped cream cheese filling and is topped with fresh glazed fruit. It’s the perfect summer dessert!
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my Full Disclosure.
As summer approaches, I’m thinking up more easy no-bake recipes, so that you can still create something delicious without turning on your oven. And I think this colourful no-bake fresh fruit tart is the ideal summer dessert!
How to make a no-Bake Fresh Fruit Tart
A classic French fruit tart recipe typically has a baked pastry crust which is filled with creme patissiere and topped with fresh fruit. These tarts are of course so impressive and delicious, but I wanted to create a similar, easier no-bake version of this classic fruit tart.
This fresh fruit tart is made up of a biscuit base, similar to a no-bake cheesecake base. The tart is filled with a delicious whipped cream cheese filling and topped with an assortment of glazed fruit. It’s so simple yet looks so colourful and beautiful!
How to make a no-bake tart crust
I use digestive biscuits, the US equivalent being Graham crackers. Simply place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can place the biscuits in a sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin. Then add sugar and melted butter and mix until combined. Finally, press this mixture into your tart dish and voilà – the crust is done!
This no-bake crust recipe is a lot thinner than that used for my No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake and my No-Bake Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake recipes. This is because I wanted to replicate the thin, delicate pastry base of the classic fruit tart. Plus a thinner base leaves room for more filling!
How to make a no-bake whipped cream cheese filling
As mentioned above, the filling typically used in a traditional fruit tart is creme patissiere. This translates to pastry cream and is a creamy custard. My no-bake tart filling recipe consists of cream cheese, double cream, a little icing sugar and vanilla extract.
This no-bake tart filling is also creamy and a similar thickness to creme patissiere. It has a similar taste to my no-bake cheesecake filling thanks to the cream cheese. However, the higher ratio of double cream to cream cheese makes it lighter tasting than cheesecake.
Plus, it is sooo much easier and quicker to make than creme patissiere! All the ingredients are added to your mixing bowl at once, and then you simply beat together for around one minute until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Just try not to eat too much of it before adding to your pastry crust, ok? This zero effort cream filling is addictive!
Fresh fruit tart topping
For my version of this fresh fruit tart I used strawberries, blueberries and kiwis, mainly because I love how colourful it looks! You can add whatever fruit topping you like, maybe some mandarins or grapes for example. You can get creative here and make it your own with different fruit!
Why glaze a fruit tart?
One reason is that it finishes the tart off beautifully; the glistening fruit topping looks like one you’d see in a French pâtisserie window! Secondly, this sweet glaze helps to preserve the chopped fruit topping so it stays fresher for longer.
How to glaze a fruit tart
This step is so easy to do and definitely worth the effort to give a professional finish to your fruit tart. Simply heat some jam and water in a saucepan for a few minutes until it becomes a smooth liquid. Then, pour it into a small bowl to cool slightly before using a pastry brush to gently brush the glaze onto the fruit!
What dish do I need to make a fruit tart?
You’ll need a 25cm flan dish for this recipe, also referred to as a quiche, pastry or tart dish. It’ll need to be more shallow than a standard pie dish or the crust won’t reach the top. I opted for this simple glass dish.
Does a no-bake tart need to chill before serving?
I would recommend chilling for at least 4 hours, though ideally overnight (around 12 hours). This allows the crust and filling to firm up in order to serve without being crumbly. However, if you don’t mind a crumbly crust and slightly softer whipped cream cheese filling, you could serve it without chilling.
Can I make a fruit tart the night before serving?
Yes, mainly due to my last point. Chilling overnight is a great way to ensure the tart will slice well and allow you to serve it without the crust crumbling!
How long can a fresh fruit tart sit out of the fridge?
This will depend on the temperature in which it is served. So on a hot day, I would recommend keeping it in the fridge until ready to serve, and placing any leftover tart back in the fridge until you need more. Keeping the fruit chilled will prevent them from going soggy as quickly.
Can I freeze a fresh fruit tart?
I wouldn’t recommend it, as when it defrosts the fruit will go slightly soggy.
How long does fresh fruit last on a fruit tart?
Unglazed fresh fruit should be eaten within 2 days. If you top the fruit with the fruit glaze this will preserve the fruit a little longer, to around 3-4 days. I wouldn’t recommend eating it after this time due to the cream and cream cheese in the filling.
Where should I store a fresh fruit tart?
This tart needs to be stored in the fridge until ready to serve and ideally kept in the fridge between servings.
To summarise, this no-bake fresh fruit tart is:
- An easy no-bake alternative to a classic French fruit tart
- Filled with a deliciously creamy whipped cream cheese filling
- Decorated with colourful fresh fruit
- Finished with a glistening fruit glaze
- An impressive yet easy and simple summer dessert!
If you try this recipe I’d love to see! You can show me by tagging me @bakerjoblog or using #bakerjoblog!
Other no-bake and dessert recipes to try:
- No-Churn Biscoff Ice Cream
- Lemon Bars
- Strawberry Pavlova
- No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream
- White Chocolate Coconut Truffles
- Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Lemon Cheesecake
- Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Truffles
- Healthy Chewy Snack Bars
No-Bake Fresh Fruit Tart
Equipment
- 25cm flan dish (also referred to as a tart/quiche/pastry dish)
- Food processor (or you could use a sandwich bag and rolling pin)
- Hand or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Small saucepan
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
No-Bake Biscuit Crust
- 300 g digestive biscuits US equivalent = Graham crackers
- 160 g melted butter
- 40 g light brown sugar/light muscovado sugar if using light muscovado sugar, sift to remove lumps
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
- 220 ml double cream cold
- 170 g full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 40 g icing sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Fruit Glaze
- 2 tbsp jam any jam is fine as long as it's not too dark in colour. Apricot is good, though I used strawberry jam on the pictured fruit tart
- 2 tsp water
Fresh fruit *
- 220 g fresh strawberries sliced
- 20 g fresh blueberries whole
- 2 kiwis sliced
Instructions
No-Bake Biscuit Crust
- Pulse the digestive biscuits/Graham crackers in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, place the biscuits/crackers in a large ziplock/sandwich bag and crush them with the end of a rolling pin. Use either method until you have fine crumbs.
- Melt the butter in the microwave in 20 second increments.
- Whisk the biscuit crumbs and light brown sugar together in a medium bowl.
- Add the butter to this mixture and stir with a spatula until well combined.
- Pour this mixture into your 25cm flan dish and press down really firmly to pack the crumbs as tightly as possible. This will create a strong biscuit crust. I use a flexible rubber spatula to press down on the mixture to make sure it's tightly packed.
- Place your flan dish in the fridge to chill while you make the whipped cream cheese filling.
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
- Pour the double cream, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a medium bowl if using a hand whisk. Beat this mixture on a medium-high speed for around 1 minute until smooth and thickened.
- Using a spatula or pallet knife, spread the filling on top of the chilled biscuit crust. Place back in the fridge to chill while you prepare the fruit glaze.
Fruit Glaze
- Place the jam and water in a small saucepan. Place on the hob and heat on a medium heat for just a few minutes, stirring often with a spatula until you have a smooth watery glaze.
- Remove from the heat and sieve the glaze into a small bowl to remove any seeds or lumps. Leave aside to cool slightly while you prepare your fresh fruit.
Fresh Fruit
- Depending on what fruit you've chosen for your tart topping, chop into the desired shapes or leave whole if you prefer.
- Remove the flan dish from the fridge and decorate the tart however you wish with your fresh fruit.
- FInally, use a pastry brush to gently brush your fruit topping with your fruit glaze. This will give a beautiful shine to your fruit and help to preserve the fruit a little longer.
- Place back in the fridge for at least 4 hours to allow your crust and filling to firm up a little, allowing it to slice better. Ideally let it chill for around 12 hours or overnight to ensure it sets well. However, if you don't mind a crumbly crust and a softer cream filling, you could serve it immediately without chilling.
- Keep the tart in the fridge in between servings to keep it fresh and firm. Best eaten within 2-3 days.
