Print

Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream

Three vibrant Mini Fruit Tarts topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and glaze on a white plate.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

A recipe for making small, individual fruit tarts using a sweet shortbread crust, vanilla pastry cream, and fresh fruit topping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups mixed fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi)
  • 1/4 cup apricot jam or clear glaze

Instructions

  1. Prepare the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and ice water; pulse until dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  2. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the dough and cut circles to fit 3-inch mini tart pans. Press dough into pans and prick the bottoms with a fork.
  4. Bake the shells for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  5. Make the pastry cream: Heat milk in a saucepan until simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, and 4 egg yolks until pale.
  6. Slowly temper the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan.
  7. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens significantly and boils for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  8. Pour the pastry cream into a shallow dish, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill for at least 2 hours.
  9. Assemble the tarts: Once the shells and cream are cold, spoon or pipe the pastry cream evenly into each tart shell.
  10. Arrange your mixed fresh fruit decoratively on top of the cream.
  11. Warm the apricot jam or glaze slightly. Brush a thin layer over the fruit to give it shine and help preserve it. Chill the finished tarts before serving.

Notes

  • For quicker assembly, you can use pre-baked mini shortbread shells.
  • If you do not have mini tart pans, you can use a standard muffin tin, but the shape will be different.
  • To make the pastry cream smoother, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve after cooking.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytipster.com/mini-fruit-tarts-recipe-pastry-cream-tutorial/