Description
Delight in these elegant Mini Fruit Tarts featuring a crisp pâte sucrée crust filled with rich, creamy pastry cream and topped with fresh seasonal fruits. Finished with an optional apricot glaze for extra shine and sweetness, these tarts are perfect for entertaining or a sophisticated dessert treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust (pâte sucrée):
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the pastry cream (crème pâtissière):
- 1¾ cups whole milk
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Toppings:
- Fresh strawberries, blueberries, or other fresh fruit of choice
- 1 Tbsp apricot jam (optional, for glaze)
- ½ tsp water (optional, for glaze)
Instructions
- Make the crust: In a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and kosher salt. Add the cold cubed unsalted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles pea-sized bits. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then mix until the dough just comes together.
- Chill the dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up and develop flavor.
- Prepare tart shells: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to a thickness suitable for mini tart pans, cutting rounds that are about 1 inch larger than the pans. Press the rounds gently into the tart pans, trim the edges, and dock the bases with a fork to prevent puffing. Place the prepared tart shells in the freezer for 20 minutes to set.
- Bake the crusts: Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Bake the tart shells for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pans.
- Make the pastry cream: In a saucepan, heat the whole milk with vanilla extract just to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and kosher salt until smooth. Temper the egg mixture by slowly adding about ¼ cup of the hot milk while whisking constantly. Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and stir in the unsalted butter until fully incorporated. Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for several hours until fully chilled and set.
- Assemble the tarts: Once the pastry cream is chilled, pipe or spoon it evenly into the cooled tart shells. Arrange fresh berries or fruit of choice beautifully on top. Optionally, warm the apricot jam with water until smooth and brush over the fruit to give a shiny glaze.
- Chill before serving: Refrigerate the assembled fruit tarts for at least 30 minutes to set the filling and allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- For an even more tender crust, avoid overworking the dough to prevent gluten development.
- Ensure the pastry cream is completely cooled and thickened before filling tart shells to prevent sogginess.
- Use fresh, ripe fruit for the best flavor and presentation.
- The optional apricot glaze adds a beautiful shine and helps seal the fruit to keep it fresh longer.
- The dough can be made ahead and frozen for convenience, thawing in the refrigerator before rolling out.
