French Peach Tart with Panna Cotta

Quick Summary: French peach tart with panna cotta is a summer dessert made with a cookie crust, smooth Italian panna cotta filling, and roasted peaches arranged in a flower pattern. Inspired by Ladurée, it is easy to make, requires no complicated pastry work, and can be prepped a day ahead.

What is French peach tart?

French peach tart is a summertime fruit tart made with shortcrust pastry, almond cream, frangipane or panna cotta filling, and peaches arranged in a concentric pattern.

It is a versatile dessert with tart fillings, including almond cream, frangipane, or Italian panna cotta. Made with a fluted loose-bottomed tart tin, it differs from a rustic French peach tart or galette.

Inspired by an image of the peach tart created by the French bakery Ladurée, I could not resist making it. I fell in love with the tart's styling, where peaches are arranged in a pretty flower design to show them off.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Special filling: smooth Italian panna cotta sets this apart from custard or frangipane peach tarts.

• Easy and fun: the no-bake filling comes together fast, and kids love arranging the peaches.

• Summer flavor: creamy panna cotta pairs with sweet roasted peaches.

• Pretty presentation: peach slices in a concentric flower pattern make a striking finish.

Equipment

Here are the tools you need to make this peach panna cotta tart:

• food processor for the cookie crust
• fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, 9-inch (23 cm)
• saucepan for the panna cotta filling
• rubber spatula to fold in the whipped cream
• parchment paper for roasting the peaches
• glass dome to store the finished tart

Ingredients

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

• Shortbread cookies: Use store-bought shortbread fingers or other kinds of tea biscuits.

• Butter: To make the buttery cookie crust, use high-quality unsalted butter (not margarine).

• Gelatin: Use 200-bloom gelatin sheets.

• Heavy cream: Choose heavy or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat or double cream.

• Milk: The recipe calls for whole milk.

• Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar or caster sugar.

• Peaches: Good peaches are the stars of the peach tart. Choose firm, ripe peaches; they will soften with roasting.

How to make French peach tart

Step 1. Heat oven to 355°F (180°C). To make the cookie crust, place shortbread fingers in the bowl of a food processor and crush until the dough resembles breadcrumbs. Add melted butter and mix well.

Step 2. Transfer the preparation into a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

Step 3. Using your hands, pat out crumbs so they cover the bottom and sides of the pan to meet the edge (photo 1). 

Step 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes (photo 2).

Step 5. Remove the cookie crust from the oven and place it straight in the freezer for 30 minutes. 

Step 6. To make the panna cotta filling, soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes.

Step 7. Pour milk, 1 ⅔ cups (400 g) heavy cream, and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Step 8. Remove the pan from the heat, add the drained gelatin, and mix until completely dissolved. Let it cool and set aside.

Step 9. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining cold heavy cream (100 g) until medium peaks. Add the whipped cream to the main mixture (photo 3) and combine with a rubber spatula.

Pro tip: Consult the sugar-free whipped cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.

Step 10. Gently pour the panna cotta filling into the cooled, partially frozen cookie crust (photo 4) and freeze for about 1 hour, until the panna cotta is set.

Step 11. To roast peaches, preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Cut peaches into ⅜-inch (1 cm) thick slices with a paring knife and place them on a baking sheet covered with nonstick baking paper.

Step 12. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for 8 minutes.

Step 13. Remove fruit slices from the oven and let cool (photo 5). Keep the peach syrup around the fruit on parchment paper.

Step 14. Arrange peach slices in a flower pattern, starting from the outer edge of the tart and going towards the center. Overlap each slice as you go (photo 6).

Step 15. Optionally, brush the top of the peaches with the peach syrup kept after roasting the fruit, or cover the fruit with a clear glaze or warmed apricot jam.

To serve, cut the tart into wedges. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the peach layer to avoid disturbing the neat spiral. Apply gentle pressure to slice through the panna cotta and tart shell.

Expert tips

1. Freeze the baked cookie crust before pouring the panna cotta to set it and prevent cookie crumbs from getting into the filling.
2. Freeze the panna cotta in the crust to help the filling set quickly and prevent it from escaping.
3. Keep the tart in a pan until ready to arrange peach slices. Once the panna cotta filling is set, remove the tart from the tin.
4. Peel roasted peaches or nectarines if preferred.
5. Cover the fruit slices on top of the tart with a store-bought or homemade clear or apricot glaze, or drizzle the fruit with honey heated in the microwave for a few seconds.
6. Serve peach tart with panna cotta filling cold. Avoid keeping it at room temperature for longer than one hour to prevent the gelatin from softening.

Recipe variations

• Pastry case: Replace the cookie crust with shortcrust pastry or buttery puff pastry. Another great option is to use a pre-made tart crust.

• Tart filling: Replace panna cotta with frangipane filling, almond pastry cream, or classic crème pat (French crème patissiere).

• Flavoring: Flavor panna cotta with vanilla extract, or use fresh or dried lemon verbena leaves for a subtle lemon-lime flavor. Infuse the hot milk-and-cream mixture off the heat for 10-15 minutes. Drain the verbena leaves, then add the gelatin.

• Fruits: Use peaches and nectarines interchangeably, or replace peaches with plums. Decorate the tart with fresh peach slices if desired.

Storing & freezing

Store the peach panna cotta tart under a glass dome in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Can you freeze peach tart with panna cotta? Freeze panna cotta-filled tart (without peach slices) in a few steps. Fill the tart shell with the panna cotta and freeze it. Once frozen, cover the tart with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to one month.

Avoid defrosting and refreezing the tart to maintain the perfect panna cotta texture.

To thaw, refrigerate the tart overnight. The next day, roast peaches and decorate the tart.

Recipe FAQ

What is panna cotta?
Panna cotta is a famous Italian pudding made with milk, cream, and sugar, thickened with gelatin. Panna cotta means "cooked cream."

What is the difference between peaches and nectarines?
The main difference is that peaches have a fuzzy coating on the outside, while nectarines have smooth skin. Some people consider nectarines juicier and sweeter, but that is a matter of personal preference. In cooking, you can use these fruits interchangeably.

Can you leave the skin on peaches?
Peach skin has a hairy texture, so some people peel the fruit. Some people are also concerned about chemicals or pesticides that coat the fruit. But if peaches are washed thoroughly, they are safe to eat.

Can you make peach tart in advance?
You can make this tart up to 1 day before serving, or in the morning if you plan to serve in the evening, since it requires some chilling time.

How many calories are in French peach tart?
One slice of this peach panna cotta tart has about 458 calories, based on 10 servings.

Love peach desserts? Try these next!

• Fresh peach clafoutis
• Peach and blueberry galette
• Puff pastry peach galette
• Peach compote
• Caramelized skillet peaches
• Or browse all the tart recipes.

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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.

The recipe was adapted from the French blog C'est pas de la tart. It was originally published on September 19, 2018. The recipe has been updated and may differ from what was initially published.