Description
Delightful mini fruit tarts with pastry cream bring sweet French bakery charm to your kitchen. Crisp buttery shells cradle silky vanilla cream, topped with jewel-like fresh berries that promise a perfect bite of summer elegance you can easily create at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 pinch salt
Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Fresh Fruits:
- 1 cup mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- 1/2 cup sliced kiwi
- 1/2 cup mandarin orange segments
- 1/4 cup sliced peaches
- 1/4 cup mint leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, powdered sugar, salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add egg and pulse until dough forms a cohesive ball, approximately 30-45 seconds.
- Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow gluten to relax and butter to firm.
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease mini tart pans.
- Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness and carefully line each tart pan, trimming excess edges.
- Dock pastry bottom with fork and freeze for 15 minutes to prevent shrinkage.
- Bake tart shells for 12-15 minutes until golden brown, then cool completely on wire rack.
- For pastry cream, whisk egg yolks with sugar in a medium saucepan until pale and smooth.
- Gradually incorporate cornstarch and salt, creating a silky mixture.
- Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until cream thickens and bubbles, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, then transfer to a clean bowl.
- Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation and refrigerate until completely chilled.
- Pipe cooled pastry cream into prepared tart shells.
- Artfully arrange mixed berries, kiwi, mandarin segments, and peaches on top of cream.
- Optionally garnish with delicate mint leaves for additional freshness.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing shrinkage and creating a flaky, tender crust that melts in your mouth.
- Use very cold butter and pulse gently in the food processor to maintain small butter chunks, which create a beautifully layered pastry texture.
- Dock the pastry bottom with a fork to prevent air bubbles and ensure even baking, resulting in a perfectly crisp tart shell.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar thoroughly to create a smooth base for the pastry cream, preventing any lumpy or grainy texture.
- Cover the pastry cream’s surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and maintain a silky, creamy consistency.
- Choose ripe, fresh fruits for topping to enhance visual appeal and add a burst of natural sweetness to the tart.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 17–22 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg