Clear Fruit Glaze Recipe (Perfect Shine for Tarts and Cakes)

Quick Summary: Clear fruit glaze, also called clear sugar glaze or nappage, is a shiny, neutral-tasting topping you make by simmering sugar, water, and a little potato or corn starch until it thickens, then brushing it over fruit while it is still warm. It takes about 10 minutes, gives fruit tarts, cakes, flans, and fruit pizzas a glossy, professional shine, and keeps the fruit moist and bright. Use fruit juice in place of water for extra color and flavor.

If your homemade tarts and cakes never look as glossy as the ones in a pastry shop window, this is the finishing touch you have been missing. With just three pantry ingredients and one small saucepan, you can give any fruit dessert that bakery-style shine at home.

What is clear fruit glaze?

Clear fruit glaze is a thin, transparent, flavorful topping made with starch, pectin, or gelatin. It is neutral in taste and flavor, clear in color, and perfect for brushing fresh fruit onto a fruit tart, pizza, fruit flan, pie, or cheesecake. It also works as a fruit cake glaze.

The fruit glaze gives baked goods a beautiful shine. And it isn't just for a look. It gives the fruit a thin coat that protects it from drying out, keeps it moist, and preserves its bright colors.

What is nappage?

Nappage is the pastry term for the clear, glossy glaze brushed over fresh fruit on tarts and cakes. In professional kitchens it is often called neutral nappage or a mirror glaze, and it can be made with sugar and starch, with pectin, or from strained apricot jam. The homemade clear sugar glaze in this recipe is a simple, starch-based nappage you can make in minutes without any special ingredients.

Can you use clear glaze on a cake?

Yes. Clear glaze works beautifully as a fruit cake glaze, brushed over the fresh fruit on top of a cheesecake, sponge cake, or fruit-topped layer cake to add shine and keep the fruit from drying out. Apply it while it is still warm and liquid, using a soft brush, and let the cake chill so the glaze sets before serving.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Sugar: Use white granulated sugar or caster sugar.
• Starch: You can use potato or corn starch interchangeably. If desired, use ClearJel, a modified cornstarch, instead.
• Water: You can replace it with fruit juice, whose taste, flavor, and color are the same as your fruit dessert. Apple, pear, or white grape juice is best for the transparent effect.

How to make clear fruit glaze

Step 1. Place ¼ cup (60 ml) of potato starch in a small cup and add water; stir with a teaspoon until the starch is dissolved. Pour ½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (140 ml) of water with sugar into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Step 2. Stir in the starch mixture, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a hand whisk or a spoon.

Step 3. Once boiled, remove the glaze from the heat and let it cool. Stir every 3-5 minutes to prevent a film from forming on the glaze surface. 

Step 4. With a silicone brush, gently apply the glaze on top of the fruit to keep the fruit pattern. Refrigerate the pastry for at least 1 hour before serving.

Expert Tips

1. Use a natural bristle pastry brush to apply the glaze.
2. You can also toss the fruit in a bowl with glaze to coat it before placing it on the pastry, or drizzle some glaze over your bake.
3. Optional: Increase the amount of starch from 1 tablespoon to 1 ½ or even two tablespoons to adjust the thickness of your glaze. Or add a pinch of ground cinnamon for a nice, subtle flavor.

Storage instructions

The clear glaze is best used when it is made. Don't refrigerate or freeze it for later use.

Recipe FAQ

What is the clear glaze on fruit tarts?
The shiny, clear coating on fruit tarts is called nappage. It is a thin, neutral glaze made from sugar and starch, from pectin, or from strained apricot jam, and it gives the fruit a glossy finish while keeping it fresh and moist.

How do you make a clear sugar glaze?
Simmer sugar and water in a small saucepan, stir in a little potato or cornstarch dissolved in water, and bring to a boil, whisking until it thickens and turns clear. Let it cool slightly, then brush it over the fruit while it is still warm and liquid.

Can you make a clear glaze ahead of time?
A clear starch glaze is best made fresh and used the same day, since it can turn cloudy or set too firm when cooled and stored. If you need a make-ahead option, a pectin-based glaze keeps in the fridge for longer, but you will need to gently rewarm it until it is liquid again before brushing it on.

What liquid can you use in fruit glaze?
Water keeps the glaze perfectly clear, but you can swap in fruit juice, such as apple, pear, or white grape, for extra color and flavor that match your dessert. Use a light, pale juice to keep the glaze translucent rather than a dark juice that would tint it.

Are there alternatives to clear fruit glaze?
Apricot glaze, gelatine glaze, nappage glaze, or a store-bought mirror glaze are great alternatives to clear fruit glaze.

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.