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Home » Recipes » Desserts & Treats Recipes

Apple and Berry Rustic Tart

Published: Jan 3, 2018 · Modified: Jul 13, 2023 by Jan Nunes

Close-up view of a rustic fruit tart is on a white and grey plate with text overlays.
Close-up view of a rustic tart of apples and blackberries. The words Apple & Berry Rustic Tart are displayed at the bottom of the image. Pinterest Pin with black border.

Apple and Berry Rustic Tart has a quick prep and can be easily customized with your choice of fruits, spices, and even herbs!

A rustic tart is a great way to make a simple but elegant fruit dessert. 

A rustic fruit tart is on a white and grey plate.
Jump to Recipe
Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • About Egg Washes
  • My Top Tips
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • Make-Ahead & Storage
  • More Great Tarts and Pies
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Why This Recipe Works

When it is cold outside I crave baked fruit desserts and one of the homiest desserts I can think of is a rustic tart. Rustic meaning it’s prepared freehand on a baking sheet like a galette and not a perfect and proper fruit tart in a removable bottom tart pan.

Almost any time of the year, marvelous fresh fruit is available… and for me, a delicious combination in winter is apples or pears with berries.

Landscape image of a rustic fruit tart on a white plate.

Another wonderful thing about this fruit combination is you have many flavoring options of both sweet baking spices and savory herbs and seasonings. Additionally, you can go with no spice, a single spice, or even more than one spice.

In this tart, I'm using ground coriander which has a sweet spice flavor with hints of citrus. But you can use cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, or even curry powder. So, let's bake!

Ingredients

Ingredients, clockwise from top right: refrigerated pie crust, egg white, sparkling sugar, blackberries, corn starch, lemon juice, ground coriander, whole or ground nutmeg, white granulated sugar, confectioner's sugar, and granny smith apples.
  • Pie Crust - You can use store-bought refrigerated pie crust or make a homemade pie crust.
  • Granny Smith Apples - I love green Granny Smith apples that are firm and tart. But you can use any baking apple or snacking apple that you have on hand.
  • Blackberries - Blackberries are my favorite berry to mix with apples and are delicious in this rustic tart.
  • Lemon Juice - I always add a little citrus juice and/or zest. I’m a big fan of lemon. It really brightens the flavor of both sweet and savory dishes.
  • White Granulated Sugar - A small amount of sugar will sweeten the fruit. I use a small amount but you can add more if you want a sweeter dessert.
  • Corn Starch - I usually add corn starch to thicken any juices that ooze from the fruit as it bakes.
  • Ground Coriander - Coriander is a delicious sweet baking spice that goes very well with both apples and blackberries. It adds a hint of lemony flavor.
  • Freshly Ground Nutmeg - Nutmeg is also delicious with apples and gives this tart an extra special flavor.
  • Egg White - I always add an egg glaze to pies and an egg white is perfect for this tart. It helps the sparkling sugar stick to the pastry and does not brown too much.
  • White Sparkling Sugar - Large crystals of white sparkling sugar sweeten the pastry crust and look sparkly and pretty! If you do not have any on hand I have lots of substitutions listed below for you to try.
  • Confectioner's Sugar - A small dusting of confectioner's sugar gives a finished look to the baked tart.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Process Photo 1 - Apples are peeled, cored, and chopped on a green cutting board.

Preheat and Prepare. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C and place your pie crust pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Using a peeler and a sharp knife, peel, core, and chop the apples. Cutting the apples into small pieces helps the apple to cook quickly and be tender at the same time as the pie crust turns a lovely golden brown.

Process Photo 2 - The apple and berry filling is combined in a glass bowl.

Combine. Combine the chopped apples, blackberries, spices, cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Process Photo 3 - The fruit filling is spooned into the center of the pastry and the edges of the pastry are folded up and over the fruit.

Fill Tart. Spoon the filling into a mound in the center of the pie crust leaving a 2” border uncovered with fruit. Fold the crust border up and over the filling. Gently press the overlapping crust to seal.

Process Photo 4 - The tart is finished with an egg white glaze and sparkling white sugar.

Egg Wash and Bake. In a small bowl, beat the egg white with a whisk until frothy. Brush the exposed crust with the beaten egg white and then sprinkle the crust with white sparkling sugar.

The apple and berry tart is now ready for the oven and will need to be baked for 40 to 50 minutes. You want the crust to be golden brown and the fruit tender when pierced with a sharp knife.

Square image of a rustic tart filled with apple and berries.

Garnish and Serve. Dust the tart with powdered sugar for extra beauty. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!

About Egg Washes

A little egg wash around the edge of this rustic tart brings a nice golden color to the pastry. Hmmm? But, which one to use? Water? Cream? Egg? What part of the egg? Whole? White? Yolk? Let me help you decide with a chart I composed comparing pastry washes.

A chart showing the effect of various washes for baked goods. Finish, color, sealing, shine, and whether the wash adheres seeds, spices, or sugars to a pastry are listed.

I chose to use a simple egg white pastry wash for this tart because egg white will help adhere the sugar to the crust. But it will not add extra browning to the crust. If I were to use a whole egg or egg yolk wash, the pie crust would become too brown before the filling is cooked.

My Top Tips

♡ This tart is simple to customize, so always use the best fruit that you have available.

Substitutions & Variations

  • Pears. Pears are also excellent in the rustic tart. I like to use Bartlett pears that are just barely ripe. Keep in mind that your baking time will be slightly less if you choose to use pears.
  • Raspberries, or Blueberries. You can also use raspberries or blueberries. Sometimes I have a scant amount of several berries and just use them all up!
  • Arrowroot. You can substitute arrowroot 1 for 1 instead cornstarch to thicken the juices of the fruit in this tart. Arrowroot thickens fruit juices beautifully.
  • Cinnamon. Instead of coriander, you can use cinnamon 1 for 1.
  • Fresh Herbs. You can also add fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or oregano.
  • Pearl Sugar, Turbinado Crystals, or Raw Sugar. Any of these sugars can be substituted for sparkling white sugar. You can even use plain white granulated sugar in a pinch.

Make-Ahead & Storage

This tart is best when served while still warm.

Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can gently warm leftover slices of this tart in the microwave or in the oven.

Close-up view of a rustic fruit tart is on a white and grey plate.

Think about it… a bit of pastry, two fruits, some sweetener, and spices or herbs and you have an incredible personalized treat!

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♡ Did you try out this recipe? Please give it a Star Rating below and tag @enchartedcook on Instagram and hashtag it #enchartedcook.

📖 Recipe

Close-up and side view of a rustic tart with fruit filling.

Apple and Berry Rustic Tart

4.92 from 12 votes
Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes
An Apple and Berry Rustic Tart can be easily made in 20 minutes. So very delicious with your choice of fruits, spices, and even herbs!  A rustic tart is a great way to make a simple but elegant fruit dessert. 
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 257 kcal

Ingredients
 

Crust

  • 1 Single Pie Crust, Refrigerated or Homemade Pie Crust

Filling

  • 2 Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Chopped
  • 9 Ounces Blackberries
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • ¼ Cup Granulated White Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
  • ½ Teaspoons Ground Coriander
  • ½ Teaspoons Freshly Ground Nutmeg

Finish

  • 1 Egg White
  • 3 Tablespoons White Sparkling Sugar

Garnish

  • 1 Tablespoon Powered Sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat and Prepare. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C and place your pie crust pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
    Using a peeler and a sharp knife, peel, core, and chop the apples.
    1 Single Pie Crust, 2 Granny Smith Apples
  • Combine. In a medium-sized bowl gently mix the chopped apples, blackberries, lemon juice, white granulated sugar, corn starch, ground coriander or cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
    9 Ounces Blackberries, 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, ¼ Cup Granulated White Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch, ½ Teaspoons Ground Coriander, ½ Teaspoons Freshly Ground Nutmeg
  • Fill Tart. Spoon the filling into a mound in the center of the pie crust leaving a 2” border uncovered with fruit. Fold the crust border up and slightly over the filling. Gently press the overlapping crust to seal.
    1 Egg White, 3 Tablespoons White Sparkling Sugar
  • Egg Wash and Bake. In a small bowl, beat the egg white with a whisk until frothy. Brush the exposed crust with the beaten egg white and then sprinkle the crust with white sparkling sugar.
    Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit filling is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, cool, and transfer the tart to a serving plate.
  • Garnish and Serve. Dust the tart with powdered sugar for extra beauty. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
    1 Tablespoon Powered Sugar

Encharted Cook Notes

My Top Tips
♡ This tart is simple to customize, so always use the best fruit that you have available.
Substitutions & Variations
  • Pears. Pears are also excellent in the rustic tart. I like to use Bartlett pears that are just barely ripe. Keep in mind that your baking time will be slightly less if you choose to use pears.
  • Raspberries, or Blueberries. You can also use raspberries or blueberries. Sometimes I have a scant amount of several berries and just use them all up!
  • Arrowroot. You can substitute arrowroot 1 for 1 instead cornstarch to thicken the juices of the fruit in this tart. Arrowroot thickens fruit juices beautifully.
  • Cinnamon. Instead of coriander, you can use cinnamon 1 for 1.
  • Fresh Herbs. You can also add fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or oregano.
  • Pearl Sugar, Turbinado Crystals, or Raw Sugar. Any of these sugars can be substituted for sparkling white sugar. You can even use plain white granulated sugar in a pinch.
Make-Ahead & Storage
This tart is best when served while still warm. However, leftovers will keep for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can gently warm leftover slices of this tart in the microwave or in the oven.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 13.7mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1.1mg

All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

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Jan Nunes, owner and content creator at Encharted Cook.

Hello and Welcome to Encharted Cook!

I'm Jan and I love to cook for friends and family. Over the years I have learned that many recipes are related and if you learn to make one delicious dish and you can make many more. So come join me as I chart recipes and ingredients and share my favorite dishes.

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