I’ve made a lot of tarts over the years but this strawberry rhubarb custard tart is the one people always think took significantly more effort than it did. The straight sides and the glazed fruit on top give it that unmistakable patisserie look, and the combination of buttery shortcrust, silky vanilla custard, and sharp-sweet rhubarb with fresh strawberries is genuinely one of the best flavor combinations in baking.

The secret is in the order of operations. You bake the tart shell first, make the custard filling separately, then arrange the fruit on top before a final short bake to set everything. Each step is simple on its own – it just looks complicated when it’s finished, which is exactly what you want from a showstopper dessert.

This works beautifully for summer entertaining, afternoon tea, or any occasion where you want to put something on the table that draws a genuine reaction. It also slices cleanly and holds its shape, which makes it ideal for serving to a crowd.

Why You Will Love This Tart

Looks like it came from a patisserie but uses straightforward baking techniques
The rhubarb and strawberry combination hits tart and sweet perfectly
Slices cleanly and holds its shape beautifully
Can be made ahead – actually improves after a few hours in the refrigerator
Works for any occasion from casual summer lunch to elegant dinner party dessert
The fruit topping pattern is forgiving – even a loose arrangement looks intentional

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
2-3 tablespoons ice cold water

For the vanilla custard filling

4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1.5 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split
1 tablespoon cold butter

For the fruit topping

3 stalks rhubarb, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar

For the glaze

3 tablespoons apricot jam
1 tablespoon water

How to Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Tart

Step 1 – Make the pastry

Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs with some larger pieces still visible – this creates flakiness. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water and mix with a fork until the dough just comes together. Add the third tablespoon of water only if needed. The dough should hold together when pressed but not be sticky.

Shape into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cold pastry is the difference between a crisp base and a soggy one – don’t skip this step.

Step 2 – Blind bake the tart shell

Preheat oven to 375F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to about 3mm thickness and large enough to line a 9-inch fluted tart tin with a removable base. Carefully drape the pastry over the tin and press it into the flutes without stretching. Trim the excess from the top. Prick the base all over with a fork.

Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and paper and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until the base is dry and just starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.

Step 3 – Make the vanilla custard

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a medium bowl until pale and smooth. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming – not boiling. If using a vanilla bean, add it now and let it infuse for 5 minutes then remove.

Pour the hot milk mixture slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly as you pour. This tempers the eggs so they don’t scramble. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon – about 5-7 minutes. It will look thin and then suddenly thicken quite quickly, so don’t walk away.

Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract if using, and the cold butter. The butter gives the custard a beautiful glossy finish. Pour into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming, and refrigerate until completely cold – at least 2 hours.

Step 4 – Prepare the fruit

Toss the sliced rhubarb with 2 tablespoons of sugar and leave for 15 minutes. This draws out some of the moisture and softens the rhubarb slightly so it bakes evenly. Slice the strawberries to roughly the same thickness as the rhubarb so everything cooks at the same rate.

Step 5 – Assemble and bake

Spread the cold custard evenly into the cooled tart shell. It should fill it to about 3/4 full. Arrange the rhubarb and strawberry slices on top of the custard in whatever pattern appeals to you – concentric circles look the most polished, but a loose overlapping arrangement looks equally beautiful and more relaxed. The key is covering the custard completely so every slice gets fruit.

Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes until the fruit is softened and the custard is just set with a slight wobble in the center. It will firm up further as it cools. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.

Step 6 – Glaze

Warm the apricot jam with a tablespoon of water in a small pan until it becomes liquid. Strain out any large pieces. Brush the glaze gently over the fruit topping using a pastry brush. This gives the tart that professional patisserie finish – glossy, jewel-toned, and beautiful. It also preserves the fruit and stops it drying out.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Remove from the tin just before you bring it to the table.

Tips for the Best Custard Tart

Keep everything cold. Cold butter for the pastry, chilled custard before assembling, and a rested tart before serving. Temperature is what makes the difference between a professional result and a disappointing one.

Don’t skip the blind bake. Filling an unbaked pastry shell with wet custard will give you a soggy bottom every time. The blind bake creates a sealed, crisp base that holds its texture even after refrigeration.

The custard wobble is your friend. When you take the tart out of the oven it should still wobble slightly in the center like a set jelly. If it’s completely firm it’s overbaked. It will set perfectly as it cools.

Make it the day before. This tart is genuinely better after 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. The pastry softens very slightly, the custard firms up completely, and the flavors meld together. It’s the ideal make-ahead dessert for entertaining.

Rhubarb thickness matters. Slice it no thicker than 5mm or it won’t cook through in the baking time. Very thin slices will almost melt into the custard which is also beautiful but different.

Variations

All strawberry. Skip the rhubarb and use strawberries only for a sweeter, more gentle flavor. Particularly good with a few fresh basil leaves scattered over at the end.

Add a frangipane layer. Spread a thin layer of almond frangipane into the baked shell before adding the custard. The almond and rhubarb combination is exceptional and gives the tart more depth.

Lemon custard. Replace the vanilla with the zest of two lemons for a sharper, more citrus-forward custard that cuts through the sweetness of the strawberries beautifully.

Raspberry and rhubarb. Replace the strawberries with fresh raspberries for a more intensely tart result with a deeper pink colour palette.

Make Ahead and Storage

The tart shell can be blind baked up to 2 days ahead and stored at room temperature. The custard can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Assemble, bake and glaze on the day of serving or the day before – both work well.

The finished tart keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pastry softens slightly after the first day but the flavor only improves. Do not freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen rhubarb?

Yes, but thaw it completely and pat it very dry before using. Frozen rhubarb releases a lot of liquid which can make the custard watery if you’re not careful. The sugar macerating step is especially important with frozen rhubarb.

Can I use store-bought pastry?

A good quality all-butter store-bought shortcrust works fine. Roll it out slightly thinner than it comes and follow the blind baking instructions exactly.

My custard has lumps – what went wrong?

The milk was added too quickly to the eggs, or the heat was too high when cooking. If you spot lumps forming, remove from heat immediately and whisk vigorously. You can also strain the finished custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps before chilling.

The pastry shrank during blind baking – why?

The pastry wasn’t chilled long enough before baking, or it was stretched when lining the tin rather than eased in gently. Always let the dough rest in the fridge and never stretch it to fit – let gravity do the work.

Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Tart That Looks Like It Came From a Patisserie