Description
Mini Fruit Tarts are a delightful dessert that combines a crisp, buttery crust with a smooth cream filling and a vibrant array of fresh seasonal fruits. Perfect for parties or a sweet treat for yourself, these tarts are sure to impress!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or non-alcoholic vanilla bean paste)
- ready-made mini phyllo shells or pre-baked shortbread tartlet shells
- ¼ cup apricot jam or apple jelly
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, gently heat 2 cups whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges.
- While the milk is heating, in a separate bowl, whisk together 4 large egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup cornstarch (or all-purpose flour) until the mixture is pale yellow and smooth.
- Once the milk is hot, slowly temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.
- Return the saucepan to medium heat and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens considerably and comes to a gentle boil, bubbling for about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or non-alcoholic vanilla bean paste).
- Pour the pastry cream into a clean, shallow bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
- Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely chilled and firm.
- If using pre-baked store-bought mini phyllo or shortbread shells, simply arrange them on a serving platter or a baking sheet.
- If you've made homemade shells, ensure they are fully cooled before proceeding.
- Gently wash all your chosen fresh fruits (e.g., strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, mandarin segments).
- Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Hull strawberries and slice them as desired – halves, quarters, or thin slices work well for decorative purposes.
- Using a small spoon or a piping bag fitted with a round tip, fill each tart shell with the chilled and re-whisked pastry cream.
- Arrange your prepared fresh fruit decoratively on top of the pastry cream.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, warm about ¼ cup apricot jam or apple jelly for 10-20 seconds until it becomes more liquid.
- Strain the warmed jam or jelly through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any fruit bits or lumps.
- Using a small pastry brush, gently brush a thin layer of the warm glaze over the arranged fruit on each tart.
- Once assembled, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Chilling and Assembling
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tart
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: Ensure the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled before filling the shells. Dry your fruit meticulously to avoid soggy tarts. Assemble the tarts no more than a few hours before serving for the best texture.