Mixed Berry & Creamy Custard Tarts (Easy Summer Dessert Recipe)

 

 

If you’re looking for the perfect summer dessert, these Mixed Berry and Creamy Custard Tarts are everything you want in a warm‑weather treat — crisp, buttery pastry, fresh seasonal berries, and a silky vanilla custard folded into softly whipped cream. Inspired by a recipe you’ve treasured for years and adapted from a grocery store leaflet, these little tarts are quite, quite fabulous and impossibly irresistible 

Each tart begins with a sweet dessert pastry shell that bakes up beautifully crisp and golden . A handful of fresh berries — blueberries, raspberries, or whatever looks best at the market — adds bright color and juicy sweetness, making these the perfect red, white, and blue dessert for summer celebrations. The real magic, though, is the custard: light, rich, and not overly sweet, folded into whipped cream until it becomes a soft, cloud‑like topping that settles dreamily over the fruit .

Best of all, these tarts are wonderfully portable — ideal for picnics, potlucks, or any gathering where you want to impress without fuss. Simply pack the shells, berries, and custard separately and assemble on site for the freshest results . Light, elegant, and bursting with summer flavor, these Mixed Berry and Creamy Custard Tarts are a dessert you’ll want to make again and again.

 

This is a recipe that I have had in my file to quite a number of years now.  I've adapted it from a Waitrose Seasons leaflet, from the summer recipes edition for 2009. This was a U.K. recipe. I will tell you right now that they are quite quite fabulous!

They are also very easy to make, especially if you choose to make prebaked and readymade tart cases, or pastry.  

You have a crisp sweet short crust pastry on the bottom, filled with an assortment of fresh berries and then topped with a lush rich custard cream filling. Altogether very delicious.

The pastry is slightly sweet, buttery and oh-so-crisp.  The berries just the right amount of sweet/tart, and that custard cream. Rich and unctuous, lightly napped over the berries like a lovely . . . soft . . .  little cloud.

The three things together are delectably irresistible!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE

MIXED BERRY & CREAMY CUSTARD TARTS

There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. Simple. Simple. Simple. If you use the best and freshest ingredients, you can't go wrong!

• 200ml of milk (7 fluid ounces)
• 2 free large range egg yolks
• 1 heaped TBS (20g) of caster sugar
• 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
• 6 ounces (150g) of sweet dessert pastry (enough for 4 4-inch tarts) (ready made or home made.)
• 7 TBS (100ml) of double cream, softly whipped
• About 2 cups (200g) of fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

 

INGREDIENTS NOTES 

• I used whole milk. It will give you a much richer custard.
• It is not necessary to have free range eggs, but it is necessary to have large eggs.
• Caster sugar is a fine granulated sugar that melts quickly. You can blitz regular granulated sugar in a food processor to make caster sugar, or you can use fruit sugar here in North America.
• Do not use self rising flour.
• You can use a good quality pure vanilla extract instead of vanilla paste if you wish.
• There is a link to a recipe for sweet short crust pastry below.
• Use double cream, heavy cream or whipping cream.
• Use any mixture of fresh berries, picked over, washed and dried. I do NOT recommend using frozen berries.

 

HOW TO MAKE MIXED BERRY & CREAMY CUSTARD TARTS 

A simple pastry, homemade or ready roll, fresh berries and a lush custard. Delicious! 

1. First make the custard. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and bring just to the boiling point, over gentle heat. (Do not let it boil. Bubbles should just appear all around the edges.)
2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, flour and vanilla paste together in a heatproof bowl. Pour on the hot milk, whisking continuously. (Make sure you pour slowly and whisk constantly so as not to cook the eggs and make scrambled eggs.)
3. Clean pan and return the warm mixture to it. Cook, over medium heat, whisking vigorously until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer. (Don't be in a rush  and try to cook it at a higher temperature. Do whisk constantly so that the mixture doesn't form lumps or catch on the bottom.)
4. Pour into a bowl. Place a piece of cling film over top, pressing it to the surface, and set aside to cool completely. (This helps to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.)
5. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
6. Divide your pastry into four pieces. Roll each piece out into a round large enough to line a 4 inch loose bottomed tartlet tin. (You want a bit of an overhang. You can quickly cut this overhang off by running a rolling pin over the edges of the baked shells.)
7. Prick the bases all over with a fork. Line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. (This helps to prevent shrinkage.)
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden.
9. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a rack.
10. Fold the softly whipped cream into the cold custard. Spoon the berries into the pastry cases and top with the custard mixture. Dust with icing sugar or finely granulated sugar just prior to serving. (Make sure the custard is really cold before you fold the whipped cream into it and that the pastry cases are also cold.)

These make a beautiful summery dessert for picnics, BBQ's  and outdoor eating. They are also great for entertaining as you can prepare all of the elements ahead of time, ready to put together at the last minute.

 

🍓 HANDY HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS

🍓Use cold ingredients for the custard base Heating the milk just to the boiling point ensures the custard thickens properly without scrambling the yolks . Whisking the yolks, sugar, flour, and vanilla together before adding the hot milk helps prevent lumps and gives a silky finish.

🍓Temper the eggs slowly Pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly. This prevents curdling and keeps the custard smooth and glossy.

🍓Cook the custard until it just simmers Bringing the mixture to a simmer while whisking vigorously ensures it thickens fully without becoming grainy .

🍓Cover the custard directly with cling film Pressing the film onto the surface prevents a skin from forming as it cools, keeping the texture beautifully creamy .

🍓Let the custard cool completely before folding in the cream Warm custard will melt the softly whipped cream and make the filling runny. Cool it fully for a light, cloud‑like texture.

🍓Blind‑bake the pastry thoroughly Pricking the base, lining with parchment, and using baking beans helps the shells bake evenly and stay crisp. Bake until just turning golden, then give them an extra 5 minutes after removing the beans for a crisp finish that won’t go soggy under the custard.

🍓Cool the tart shells completely Warm pastry will soften the custard and berries. Cooling on a rack keeps the shells crisp and flaky .

🍓Choose berries that fit the tart shells Large strawberries don’t fit well, while blueberries and raspberries were perfect . Smaller berries give a prettier, more even finish. You can cut larger ones into pieces.

🍓Dry the berries well Rinse gently, then pat dry with some paper kitchen towelling. Excess moisture can soften the pastry and thin the custard.

🍓Fold the cream gently into the custard Over‑mixing can deflate the cream. Fold just until combined for that “soft little cloud” texture.

🍓Assemble just before serving These tarts are wonderfully portable — the recipe even suggests carrying the components separately and assembling on site for maximum crispness .

🍓Finish with a dusting of icing sugar A simple dusting right before serving adds a pretty finish and a touch of sweetness without overpowering the berries .

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

CAN I USE DIFFERENT BERRIES IN THESE TARTS?

Yes — absolutely. You can use any fresh berries you enjoy. I used blueberries and raspberries because my strawberries were too large to fit neatly into the shells . Smaller berries work beautifully and give that lovely “red, white, and blue” summer look.

CAN I MAKE THE TART SHELLS AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes. The sweet dessert pastry bakes up crisp and buttery, and once cooled, the shells can be stored in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble . They’re perfect for preparing in advance. There is an excellent recipe for a sweet dessert pastry you can make from scratch here. Just ask if you have a problem with the measurements. Alternatively you can use ready made pastry or tart shells.

ISN'T CUSTARD DIFFICULT TO MAKE?

Not at all. It's a simple homemade vanilla custard made by heating milk, whisking it into egg yolks, sugar, flour and vanilla, then cooking it until thickened. Once cooled, it is simply folded into softly whipped cream to make that dreamy cloud-like filling.

CAN I ASSEMBLE THE TARTS AHEAD OF TIME?

It is best to assemble them just prior to serving so that the pastry stays crisp. You can certainly put together all of the elements of the tarts ahead of time, ready to assemble when the time comes to serve them.

CAN I USE STORE BOUGHT PASTRY INSTEAD OF MAKING IT FROM SCRATCH?

Yes, any good quality sweet dessert pastry will work. You only need enough to fill four 4-inch tart shells.

HOW SWEET IS THE CUSTARD?

This is not an overly sweet custard. It is light and rich without being overly sweet, which is just what you need to balance out the flavors. Everything comes across as being fresh and not too sugary.

CAN I USE FROZEN BERRIES?

I do not recommend using frozen berries as they don't hold their shape well and can release excess liquid into the shells and custard.

HOW CAN I KEEP A SKIN FROM FORMING ON THE CUSTARD AS IT COOLS?

Press cling film directly onto the surface of the custard as it cools — this prevents a skin from forming and keeps it silky smooth.

 

A FEW OTHER BERRY DESSERTS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

We love berries in desserts. We are right at the beginning of berry season now and over the next few months will be enjoying them as much as we can. Here are a few other tasty berry desserts you might also enjoy!

EASY BLACKBERRY & LEMON DESSERT - Bright, creamy and utterly effortless. everything a quick sweet treat should be — fresh, creamy, fruity, and so simple you can pull it together in minutes. It layers the best flavors of summer into one beautiful little pot: a glossy homemade blackberry sauce simmered with just a touch of sugar for that perfect tart pop , a lush yogurt‑cream mousse whipped until soft and cloud‑like, and a bright ribbon of good lemon curd for sunshiny sweetness in every spoonful .Crumble over crisp meringues for texture and a little sparkle of sweetness, and suddenly you have a dessert that looks like something from a fancy café.

CREAM TEA TRIFLE POTS - A sweet little nod to a British Classic, these cream tea trifle pots take everything we love about a traditional British Cream Tea — tender fruit‑studded scones, glossy red jam, silky custard, and a cloud of clotted cream — and transform it into the prettiest little layered dessert. They’re inspired by the classic trio of scone, jam, and cream that makes a Devon or Cornish Cream Tea so beloved, but here those flavors are reimagined into something cool, creamy, and utterly irresistible. Whether you use shop‑bought shortcuts or make every element from scratch, these little trifles are easy, charming, and guaranteed to delight.

 

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Yield: Makes 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Mixed Berry & Creamy Custard Tarts

Fabulous fresh berries in a crisp sweet pastry shell and topped with a creamy custard. Delicious!

Ingredients

• 200ml of milk (7 fluid ounces)
• 2 free large range egg yolks
• 1 heaped TBS (20g) of caster sugar
• 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
• 6 ounces (150g) of sweet dessert pastry (enough for 4 4-inch tarts) (ready made or home made.)
• 7 TBS (100ml) of double cream, softly whipped
• About 2 cups (200g) of fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

Instructions

1. First make the custard. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and bring just to the boiling point, over gentle heat.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, flour and vanilla paste together in a heatproof bowl. Pour on the hot milk, whisking continuously.
3. Clean pan and return the warm mixture to it. Cook, over medium heat, whisking vigorously until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer.
4. Pour into a bowl. Place a piece of cling film over top, pressing it to the surface, and set aside to cool completely.
5. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
6. Divide your pastry into four pieces. Roll each piece out into a round large enough to line a 4 inch loose bottomed tartlet tin.
7. Prick the bases all over with a fork. Line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden.
9. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a rack.
10. Fold the softly whipped cream into the cold custard. Spoon the berries into the pastry cases and top with the custard mixture. Dust with icing sugar or finely granulated sugar just prior to serving.

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