Description
These Mini Fruit Tarts are a stunning bakery-style dessert featuring a buttery, crisp shortbread crust filled with rich Italian pastry cream and topped with fresh, vibrant fruit. Finished with a shiny apricot glaze, they look like colorful jewels that taste just as good as they look. With the perfect balance of creamy vanilla custard, lemon-scented pastry, and juicy berries, these tartlets are the ultimate elegant treat for afternoon tea, showers, or dessert tables.
Ingredients
The Italian Pastry Cream
- 1 ½ cups (354ml) whole milk
- A strip of fresh lemon rind (peeled with a veggie peeler)
- 3 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The Shortbread Tart Crust
- 4 ounces (120g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
The Fruit & Glaze
- 4 oz (115g) fresh blueberries
- 4 oz (115g) fresh raspberries
- 2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced into half-moons
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam or conserve
- 1 teaspoon water (to thin the glaze)
Instructions
Infuse Milk (Cream Step 1)
Place the milk and the strip of lemon rind in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat until steaming (do not boil). Remove from heat and set aside to infuse.
Whisk Base (Cream Step 2)
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and flour until completely smooth and pale.
Temper & Thicken
Remove the lemon strip from the hot milk. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly (this prevents the eggs from scrambling). Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it boils and thickens into a pudding consistency. Simmer for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste. Stir in vanilla.
Chill Cream
Transfer to a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cold (about 1 hour).
Make Dough
In a mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the sugar and grated lemon zest; beat until just combined. Add the egg and beat gently. Stir in the flour and salt with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Do not overwork. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll & Cut
Spray mini tart pans (approx. 3.5-inch) with baking spray. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than your pans.
Line & Freeze (Crucial Step)
Press dough into the pans and trim edges. Prick the bottoms with a fork. Place the lined pans in the freezer for 30 minutes. Why? Baking frozen dough prevents the sides from shrinking or sliding down in the oven.
Bake
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180℃). Bake the frozen tart shells for 12–14 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Glaze & Assemble
Microwave the apricot jam with a splash of water, then strain through a mesh sieve to make a smooth glaze. Spoon cold pastry cream into the cooled shells. Arrange dried fruit on top. Brush fruit lightly with the apricot glaze for shine.
Notes
Dry Fruit is Key: After washing your berries, pat them completely dry with paper towels. Any water left on the fruit will seep into the custard and make the tart soggy.
Tempering: Pour the hot milk into the eggs slowly. If you dump it in all at once, you will cook the eggs and end up with lumpy sweet scrambled eggs instead of custard.
Crust Handling: Shortcrust pastry hates heat and overworking. Keep ingredients cool and handle the dough as little as possible to ensure it stays crisp and flaky.
Storage: These are best eaten the same day they are assembled. However, you can bake the shells and make the cream a day in advance, storing them separately until ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Pastry
- Method: Baking / Stovetop Custard
- Cuisine: French / European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Tartlet
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: mini fruit tarts, italian pastry cream, fruit tartlet recipe, tea party desserts, apricot glaze, shortcrust pastry, custard tarts, elegant desserts