This fresh berry tart with toasted nut crust looks like it came from a bakery window, but the hard part is mostly the waiting. Almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts are toasted and pressed into a crust with whole-wheat flour, then filled with a tangy light sour cream and Greek yogurt cream and piled with berries. Sweet crust, sharp filling, juicy top.
Forget boring pie crusts! This vibrant berry tart gets its incredible flavor and texture from a rustic, crumbly crust made with toasted almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts. It’s the perfect nutty, whole-wheat base for a luscious, tangy yogurt cream and a jewel-toned pile of fresh berries. This dessert looks like it came from a fancy patisserie but is surprisingly simple to make. It’s the ultimate showstopper for brunch, holidays, or a sweet summer evening.
Ingredients
• Crust
• ¼ cup / 35g (1.23 oz) raw almonds
• ¼ cup / 30g (1.06 oz) raw pecans
• ¼ cup / 35g (1.23 oz) raw hazelnuts
• ¾ cup / 90g (3.17 oz) whole-wheat flour
• ¼ cup / 50g (1.76 oz) granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp / 1.5g (0.05 oz) salt
• 6 Tbs / 85g (3 oz) chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1 large egg yolk
• Filling
• ½ cup / 120g (4.2 oz) light sour cream
• ½ cup / 125g (4.4 oz) nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbs / 25g (0.88 oz) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp / 5ml vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp grated orange zest
• 1 cup / 150g (5.3 oz) fresh blueberries
• 1 cup / 125g (4.4 oz) fresh raspberries
• 1 Tbs / 15ml (0.5 fl oz) orange juice
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Spread the almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool completely.2. In a food processor, pulse the cooled nuts, whole-wheat flour, sugar, and salt until the nuts are finely ground. Add the diced chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse just until the dough starts to form moist clumps.3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tart pan, aiming for about a ¼-inch thickness. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes to firm up.4. Adjust the oven temperature to 400°F / 200°C. Bake the chilled crust for 12 to 14 minutes, or until it’s firm and golden brown. Let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.5. While the crust cools, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, Greek yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth. In a separate bowl, gently toss the blueberries and raspberries with the orange juice.6. Once the crust is completely cool, spread the creamy yogurt mixture evenly over the bottom with an offset spatula. Carefully arrange the juice-kissed berries over the top until the cream layer is covered.7. Refrigerate the finished tart for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the filling to set slightly before slicing and serving.
Nutritional Information
• Nutrition Information
• Calories: 288
• Protein: 6 g
• Total Fat: 19 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Carbohydrates: 26 g
• Cholesterol: 58 mg
• Sodium: 87 mg
• Fiber: 4 g
• Sugar: 13 g
Pro Tips
• The nut crust can be baked up to three days in advance. Store it, covered, at room temperature until you’re ready to fill and serve.
• Feel free to swap the nuts based on what you have. Walnuts, pistachios, or even all almonds would be delicious. Just keep the total weight the same.
• For the best texture, ensure your butter is very cold when you add it to the food processor. This creates a flakier, more tender crust.
• Don’t overmix the dough after adding the egg yolk. Pulse just until it comes together to avoid developing too much gluten, which can make the crust tough.
FAQ
Q: Can I make this berry tart vegan
A: Yes, with a few key substitutions. For the crust, use a firm, high-quality vegan butter block in place of dairy butter and omit the egg yolk; you may need a teaspoon of ice water to help the dough form. For the filling, use your favorite dairy-free sour cream and a thick, plain dairy-free Greek-style yogurt, such as one made from coconut or cashew.
Q: How can I make this tart gluten-free
A: To make a gluten-free version, simply replace the whole-wheat flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The nuts in the crust provide excellent structure, making this an easy and successful substitution.
Q: Is this berry tart a healthy dessert option
A: This tart is a more nutritionally balanced dessert choice. The crust features heart-healthy nuts and fiber-rich whole-wheat flour. The filling is based on Greek yogurt, which adds a good source of vegetarian protein (6g / 0.21 oz per serving), and the topping is simply fresh, antioxidant-packed berries. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy a sophisticated dessert with more wholesome ingredients.
Q: How long does this berry tart last in the fridge
A: For the best texture and a crisp crust, this tart is best served the day it is assembled. However, you can store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the crust will soften slightly over time. For planning, you can bake the nut crust shell up to three days in advance and store it covered at room temperature.
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Fresh Berry Tart with Toasted Nut Crust
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray.
- Spread the almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Let cool completely. 2.
- In a food processor, pulse the cooled nuts, whole-wheat flour, sugar, and salt until the nuts are finely ground.
- Add the diced chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs.
- Add the egg yolk and pulse just until the dough starts to form moist clumps. 3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tart pan, aiming for about a ¼-inch thickness. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork.
- Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes to firm up. 4.
- Adjust the oven temperature to 400°F / 200°C.
- Bake the chilled crust for 12 to 14 minutes, or until it's firm and golden brown.
- Let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. 5.
- While the crust cools, prepare the filling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, Greek yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, gently toss the blueberries and raspberries with the orange juice. 6.
- Once the crust is completely cool, spread the creamy yogurt mixture evenly over the bottom with an offset spatula. Carefully arrange the juice-kissed berries over the top until the cream layer is covered. 7.
- Refrigerate the finished tart for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the filling to set slightly before slicing and serving.
- Don't overmix the dough after adding the egg yolk. Pulse just until it comes together to avoid developing too much gluten, which can make the crust tough.
