Apple and Berry Rustic Tart

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. 

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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.

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

• 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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

More Great Tarts and Pies

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