Lychee Rose Water Tart

Name: Lychee Rose Water Tart
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 3½ oz (100 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes; 6 oz (175 g) all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons (23 g) powdered sugar; ¼ teaspoon (1¼ g) salt; 1 egg yolk, at room temperature; 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream, cold; 3 tablespoons (23 g) powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) rose water; ¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) vanilla extract; 12 oz (340 g) fresh lychees, peeled and pitted

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

An elegant no-bake tart with a buttery shortbread crust filled with whipped cream infused with floral rose water and topped with fresh, delicate lychees. This Asian-fusion dessert is light, refreshing, and impressive yet simple to make. Perfect for elegant dinner parties or summer entertaining.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: One 9-inch tart (8 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Keep the butter cold in the fridge until the moment you use it
Peel and chill fresh lychees if using them
Chill a mixing bowl for the cream filling in the freezer
Read the timing carefully—this tart requires about 1 hour 15 minutes of chilling total

1
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
- Whisk together until the mixture is evenly blended and no lumps remain, about 1–2 minutes.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly blended with no lumps
2
Cut in cold butter
- Add the cold cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture.
- Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces still visible.
- This should take 5–7 minutes if working by hand.
- The goal is to break the butter into small pieces without fully incorporating it.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces
Tip: Keep the butter cold; if it feels warm, refrigerate the mixture for 5 minutes before continuing.
3
Mix in egg yolk
- Add the egg yolk to the butter-flour mixture.
- Using a fork or your fingertips, gently mix until the dough just comes together, about 1–2 minutes.
- The dough should hold together when pinched, and some floury bits are fine.
- Do not overwork the mixture.
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Ready when: Dough holds together when pinched; a few floury bits are okay
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together. Overworking will make the crust tough and dense.
4
Line tart pan and chill
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Using your fingertips, press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, working it into an even thickness of about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Make sure there are no thin spots, especially where the bottom meets the sides.
- Once lined, place the pan in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to firm up the crust.
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Ready when: Crust is very cold and firm to the touch when removed
Tip: If the dough is sticky and hard to work with, chill it in the freezer for 5 minutes first.
5
Whip rose water cream
- While the crust chills, pour the cold heavy cream into a chilled mixing bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2–3 minutes.
- Soft peaks should be fluffy but still slightly droopy.
- Gently fold in the rose water with a spatula until just combined.
- Taste the mixture and add a bit more rose water if desired (rose water is potent, so add sparingly—start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to your preference).
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Ready when: Soft peaks form; rose water is evenly distributed
Tip: Don't overmix after adding the rose water, or the cream may turn to butter. Use a gentle hand.
6
Fill with cream
- Remove the chilled tart crust from the refrigerator.
- Spoon the rose water cream into the crust and smooth the top with a spatula, spreading it evenly from edge to edge.
- Fill right up to the rim of the crust.
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Ready when: Cream is smooth and evenly distributed across the crust
7
Arrange lychees and chill
- Arrange the peeled and pitted lychees over the rose water cream in a single overlapping layer, or cluster them as desired for a more casual, organic look.
- Return the tart to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving (or serve immediately if you prefer, though chilling helps the flavors meld and the cream to firm up slightly).
- This tart is best served cold, directly from the refrigerator.
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Tip: Don't arrange the lychees more than 1–2 hours before serving, as the cream will absorb moisture from the fruit and soften the crust.

Good to know

Tips

Rose water can be overpowering—start with 0.75 teaspoon and taste as you fold it in. You can always add more, but you cannot take it out.
Chill everything. A cold crust and cold cream filling make this tart taste fresher and hold together better. Do not skip the chilling steps.
Peel fresh lychees gently—fresh lychee skin is fragile. Roll the fruit gently on a hard surface, then peel the skin away. A cracked fruit is still fine to use.
Serve it cold and soon. This is a delicate cream tart best enjoyed within a few hours of assembly, while the crust is still crisp and the cream is cold.

Make ahead

Prepare the dough up to 2 days ahead; wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. The crust can be pressed into the pan and chilled up to 1 day ahead, covered loosely. The rose water cream can be made 2–3 hours ahead and kept in the fridge. Assemble the tart with the lychees no more than 1–2 hours before serving, as the cream will absorb moisture from the fruit.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the finished tart, loosely covered, for up to 1 day. Do not freeze. The crust will soften slightly after a few hours as the cream releases moisture. Serve cold directly from the refrigerator—this is not a dessert that improves with reheating. For best results, assemble the tart shortly before serving to keep the crust crisp.

Substitutions

rose water → Omit entirely, or use 0.5 teaspoon almond extract. The tart will still be delicious without rose water. Alternatively, use 0.5 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange zest for a citrus twist instead.
fresh lychees → Canned lychees in light syrup. Drain the canned lychees well on paper towels to remove excess moisture, which could soften the crust. You'll need 340g (about 1.5 cups).
heavy cream → Greek yogurt for half the cream. Substitute 0.75 cups Greek yogurt for 0.75 cups of the heavy cream for a tangier, richer filling. The texture will be stiffer, so whip the remaining 0.75 cups cream to soft peaks first, then fold in the yogurt.
unsalted butter → Store-bought shortbread crust. Skip the crust steps and use a pre-made shortbread crust instead. Or mix 1.5 cups crushed shortbread cookies with 3 tablespoons melted butter, press into the tart pan, and chill for 30 minutes.