Hey there, baking friends! Today, I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite treats: Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream. These little bites of sunshine are perfect for parties, holidays, or just a special weekend dessert. The combination of the flaky crust, smooth pastry cream, and fresh fruit is simply irresistible. Trust me, once you try these, you’ll be making them again and again!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
What makes these Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream so amazing? First, they’re totally customizable! Use your favorite fruits to create a beautiful and delicious assortment. The homemade pastry cream is rich and velvety, providing the perfect base. Plus, the mini size makes them ideal for portion control (if you can resist eating more than one!). This recipe is also a fantastic way to impress your friends and family with your baking skills – they look fancy, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. You get a great crunch from the homemade pastry as well!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to create these delightful Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream:
For the Tart Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup ice water
For the Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Fruit Topping:
- Assorted fresh fruits (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, etc.)
- 1/4 cup apricot jam or apple jelly, for glaze (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s get baking! Follow these easy steps to make your own batch of Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream:
- Make the Tart Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling process is crucial for a flaky crust.
- Roll and Shape the Crust: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut out circles slightly larger than your mini tart pans.
- Press into Tart Pans: Gently press the dough circles into the mini tart pans. Trim any excess dough from the edges. Prick the bottoms of the crusts with a fork to prevent them from puffing up during baking.
- Bake the Crusts: Line the tart crusts with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden brown. Let the crusts cool completely in the pans.
- Make the Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and frothy. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them (this prevents them from scrambling).
- Combine and Cook: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream is very thick and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Finish the Pastry Cream: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled.
- Assemble the Tarts: Once the tart crusts and pastry cream are completely cooled, spoon or pipe the pastry cream into the cooled tart shells.
- Decorate with Fruit: Arrange the fresh fruit attractively on top of the pastry cream.
- Glaze (Optional): If desired, warm the apricot jam or apple jelly in a small saucepan or in the microwave until melted. Brush the glaze over the fruit to give it a shiny finish.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the assembled Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the pastry cream to set completely.
Serving Suggestions
Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream are a perfect ending to any meal. Their bright flavors complement light lunches or elegant dinners.
To enhance the presentation, consider dusting the edges of the tarts with powdered sugar or adding a sprig of mint for a touch of green. Arrange them beautifully on a platter or tiered stand to impress your guests.
These tarts are fantastic for garden parties, bridal showers, baby showers, or any special occasion where you want a delightful and visually appealing dessert.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed within 2-3 days, as the crust may soften over time.
Because they are served cold, reheating is not necessary. If the crusts seem a bit soft after refrigeration, you can try crisping them up slightly in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for a few minutes, but watch them carefully to prevent burning.
Key Details
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: Approximately 12-16 mini tarts
- Equipment: Mixing bowls, pastry blender or food processor, mini tart pans, rolling pin, cookie cutter or glass, saucepan, whisk, parchment paper, pie weights or dried beans.
Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- For the Tart Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup ice water
- For the Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Fruit Topping:
- Assorted fresh fruits strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, etc.
- 1/4 cup apricot jam or apple jelly for glaze (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Tart Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll and Shape the Crust: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut out circles slightly larger than your mini tart pans.
- Press into Tart Pans: Gently press the dough circles into the mini tart pans. Trim any excess dough from the edges. Prick the bottoms of the crusts with a fork to prevent them from puffing up during baking.
- Bake the Crusts: Line the tart crusts with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden brown. Let the crusts cool completely in the pans.
- Make the Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and frothy. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them (this prevents them from scrambling).
- Combine and Cook: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream is very thick and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Finish the Pastry Cream: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled.
- Assemble the Tarts: Once the tart crusts and pastry cream are completely cooled, spoon or pipe the pastry cream into the cooled tart shells.
- Decorate with Fruit: Arrange the fresh fruit attractively on top of the pastry cream.
- Glaze (Optional): If desired, warm the apricot jam or apple jelly in a small saucepan or in the microwave until melted. Brush the glaze over the fruit to give it a shiny finish.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the assembled Mini Fruit Tarts with Pastry Cream for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the pastry cream to set completely.
