This French passion fruit tart is a bright, elegant dessert that pairs a crisp Pâte Sucrée (sweet shortcrust pastry) with a tangy passion fruit crémeux. Finish it with Swiss meringue for a dramatic touch or leave it plain for a cleaner presentation.
Why we love this recipe
If you enjoy a classic lemon tart but want something more exotic, this passion fruit tart is a great choice. The buttery, crumbly shortcrust contrasts perfectly with the silky, bright passion fruit filling. Add a torch‑toasted Swiss meringue for an impressive finish that balances sweetness and acidity.
What is a crémeux
A crémeux is a rich French cream that starts from a crème anglaise (a custard base) and is enriched with butter and set with gelatin for a smooth, velvety texture. In this recipe, passion fruit pulp replaces milk to create a vibrant, fruity crémeux. The same technique works beautifully for orange, chocolate or other flavored crémeux fillings.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact quantities.
For the sweet shortcrust pastry (Pâte Sucrée):
- Soft unsalted butter, icing sugar, and a room temperature egg.
- Almond meal (or swap with extra plain flour), plain/all‑purpose flour and a pinch of fine salt.
For the passion fruit crémeux:
- Passion fruit pulp or purée (seeded for texture or seedless if you prefer).
- Egg yolks, caster sugar and gelatin (powder or equivalent leaves).
- Unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature, to enrich and emulsify the custard.
Optional addition
Leftover egg whites can be turned into a Swiss meringue topping (egg whites, caster sugar and a pinch of salt). Pipe and torch for a classic finish, or simply spread and chill.
How to make passion fruit tart — step by step
Making the Pâte Sucrée
Beat soft butter and sifted icing sugar until smooth. Add the egg and almond meal, then fold in sifted flour and a pinch of salt. Mix only until the dough just comes together to avoid developing gluten. Optionally, perform a fraisage by pressing and smoothing the dough with your palm for a silky finish.
Place the dough between sheets of parchment, press slightly to flatten and roll to about 4 mm (1/6 inch). Chill on a tray for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Line a 24 cm (9.5‑inch) tart tin (preferably with removable bottom), trim the edges, then chill again for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Dock the shell with a fork and freeze briefly while the oven heats. Bake 30–40 minutes until golden and dry to the touch. Cool completely on a wire rack. Optional: brush the crust with reserved egg white 3 minutes before finishing to seal the base.
Making the passion fruit filling
Warm the passion fruit purée in a saucepan over low–medium heat until it simmers. Whisk egg yolks with sugar in a heatproof bowl, then temper them by slowly whisking in the hot purée. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly—do not let it boil.
Check readiness by coating the back of a spoon (the custard should leave a clear line) or by temperature (about 82–84°C / 180–184°F). Mix dissolved gelatin into the hot custard until fully melted.
Cool the custard for 10–15 minutes until roughly 40°C (105°F), then whisk in the cubed butter gradually until fully emulsified and smooth. If you used seeded pulp and want to keep seeds intact, whisk by hand; with seedless pulp an immersion blender gives the silkiest result.
Pour the crémeux into the chilled tart shell, tap gently to release bubbles, and refrigerate for at least 3–4 hours or preferably overnight until set.
Optional Swiss meringue topping
To make Swiss meringue, heat egg whites, caster sugar and a pinch of salt over a double boiler while whisking until the mixture reaches 70°C (160°F) and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and whip until glossy stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread the meringue over the set tart and torch lightly if desired. Garnish with fresh mint leaves for color.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Pâte Sucrée gives the best texture and structure for this tart, but you can use a shortcrust or a store‑bought tart shell if you prefer.
Use a no‑bake pie crust (crumb crust or refrigerated no‑bake shell). The passion fruit filling itself doesn’t require oven baking once prepared.
Absolutely. Frozen purée works well and allows you to make this tart year‑round.
Avoid syrup preserved in sugar, as it alters the tart’s balance and texture. Use pure pulp or purée.
Tips & troubleshooting
- Seeds or no seeds: Keep seeds for a pleasant crunch or strain the pulp for a smooth crémeux.
- Adjust sweetness: The filling is intentionally tangy. Taste after cooking (before gelatin or butter) and add sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
- Cracking crust: Pâte sucrée is forgiving—warm the dough slightly with your fingers to patch cracks, or chill briefly if it becomes too soft to handle.
- Grainy or curdled crémeux: That indicates overcooked yolks. Cook gently over low heat and avoid boiling. A thermometer helps for precision.
- Filling not setting: Allow sufficient chilling time. If still loose after several hours, the gelatin may have been under‑measured or not fully dissolved.
Storing & freezing
Store the tart refrigerated and serve within 24 hours for best texture and flavor; it will keep up to 3 days. Add meringue just before serving, as it can weep in the fridge. The crust can be prepared ahead and frozen raw (flat between parchment sheets) or baked and wrapped tightly.
More tart recipes
- Pear frangipane tart
- Chocolate ganache tart
- Apricot frangipane tart
- Raspberry tart
- Apple frangipane tart
- Chocolate raspberry tart
- Parisian flan
- Strawberry custard tart
My debut cookbook “Bite‑Sized French Pastries for the Beginner Baker” is now available.
Recipe
Passion fruit tart
Ingredients
Pâte Sucrée Pastry
- 100 g unsalted butter, soft
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 40 g almond meal
- 200 g plain / all‑purpose flour
- Pinch fine table salt
Passion Fruit Crémeux
- 300 g passion fruit pulp or purée
- 4 large egg yolks (approx. 80 g)
- 120 g caster sugar
- 5 g gelatin powder (1½ tsp) + 1 tbsp cold water
- 120 g unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
Meringue Topping (optional)
- 2 large egg whites (approx. 60 g)
- 60 g caster sugar
- Pinch fine table salt
Instructions
Pâte Sucrée Pastry
- Beat butter and icing sugar until smooth. Add egg and almond meal, then fold in sifted flour and salt. Mix only until the dough comes together.
- Flatten between parchment sheets, roll to 4 mm, chill 1–24 hours.
- Line a 24 cm tart tin, trim edges and chill 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Dock, freeze briefly, then bake 30–40 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
Passion Fruit Crémeux
- Heat passion fruit purée to a simmer. Whisk yolks and sugar, then temper with hot purée.
- Return to pan and cook gently over low heat, stirring, until slightly thickened. Do not boil.
- Stir in dissolved gelatin. Cool to about 40°C (105°F).
- Whisk in cubed butter a little at a time until fully emulsified.
- Pour into the baked tart shell, tap to remove bubbles and chill 3–4 hours or overnight to set.
Meringue Topping (optional)
- Heat egg whites, sugar and salt over a double boiler to 70°C (160°F), whisking until sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Pipe or spread over the set tart and torch lightly if desired. Garnish with fresh mint.
Notes
- Do not overmix the pastry to avoid gluten development. A fraisage can help achieve a smooth dough.
- Use a rolling pin with thickness rings for an even crust.
- If the dough cracks when lining the pan, warm and press gently with your fingers to repair it; if too soft, chill briefly.
- Avoid baking weights—proper chilling prevents the shell from shrinking.
- Check custard readiness by coating a spoon or with a thermometer (82–84°C / 180–184°F).
- Cool the custard before adding butter to prevent splitting.
- For Swiss meringue, ensure the sugar has fully dissolved before whipping.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 405 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 23 g | Sugar: 27 g
Made this recipe? Leave a comment and tag your photo on Instagram @a.baking.journey — we’d love to see your tart!