Rustic Peach Tart
In a pie, the filling is the hero. In a tart however, it’s all about the crust! Our rustic peach tart recipe is outstanding any way you slice it!
The trick to this recipe is adding just enough water to form the dough into a ball. Flour is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts moisture. That’s why there’s always a variance when it comes to forming the dough’s correct consistency. If you live in a dry climate, you’ll need a little more water than in a humid climate.
We speak from experience—everyone within sniffing distance of the test kitchen had their paws in our rustic peach tart when it came out of the oven. If you’re looking to impress the crowd, this is a go-to for sure!
Make the apple variation of this tart using einkorn flour!
Rustic Peach Tart Recipe
Ingredients
crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small cubes
- 1/3 cup water, ice-cold, plus additional 1–2 Tbsp as needed
filling
- 1 1/2 lbs peaches, skin-on, pitted and cut into ½" slices
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
glaze
- 1 egg, well beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 Tbsp apricot preserves
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine flour, salt and cold butter cubes in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until cubes become the size of peas. Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl and add ⅓ cup of ice-cold water. Stir gently, adding additional water if necessary, until dough forms a ball that is moist, but not sticky. Remove dough and wrap it with plastic wrap then shape into a round disk. Chill in the fridge at least 45 minutes.
- Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from the fridge and place on a floured work surface. Roll the crust into a circle 14–16" in diameter, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Roll the dough around the rolling pin (to prevent dough from cracking) and lay it out flat on the baking sheet.
- To make the filling, toss the sliced peaches, sugar, lime juice, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Spoon the filling into the center of the crust, leaving a 2" border all the way around. Fold the crust over the filling then brush some egg wash under any dough that overlaps—it’ll help the folds stick to one another. Dot the top of the filling with butter then brush the entire surface of the crust with the remaining egg wash.
- Bake 20 minutes then rotate the pan and bake an additional 20–25 minutes. When the crust is golden brown and the center is piping hot and bubbly, remove the tart from the oven.
- Stir the apricot jelly and hot water together to create a glaze then brush over the filling. Allow the tart to cool just long enough for the filling to set. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
Notes
I made 2 tarts today with my 10 & 12 yr old grandaughers. It is wonderfully delicious! The crust really makes the tart. We did have a bit of a time with the butter, but worth the extra effort.
My question is, does it need to be refrigerated? I’m afraid it will affect the flakiness of the crust.
Just made this tart today, July 4, 2023. I would not recommend making this recipe IF you live in the south, as the butter crust is just too hard to work with. I live on the Gulf Coast and, although our house is air conditioned to 74 F, an oily pool forms around the butter at room temperature. I refrigerate our butter, but it’s still just too difficult to keep the butter cold enough long enough to get the correct results–even if you refrigerate it. It was a waste of a lot of good peaches.
Just want to check with you. I made this peach tart and it was wonderful. I loved the crust. The recipe uses less flour and more butter than my “go to”. Could I use your recipe for a regular pie crust or is it too “short”? It is delicious and would be great with any home made pie. Thank you. NG
425 degrees Fahrenheit
What Temperature?