Mini Fruit Tart Recipes

MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and butter. Mix on the lowest setting until the butter gets broken down into smaller pieces, about one minute of mixing. Add the egg yolks one at a time, then add the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
• Mix on medium (setting 4 or 6) for about two minutes or until the mixture begins to look like crumbly sand. Test the dough by stopping the mixer and pinching some sandy dough between your fingers. If it sticks to itself and forms a piece of dough, you're ready to knead. If it's too dry, try adding one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time to adjust. (See image for how final dough consistency should be after mixing.)
• Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer and use your hand to form the sand into a ball of dough. I like to do this in the bowl because it's less of a mess.
• Scoop about three tablespoons of dough and use your hands to mold and flatten the dough straight into the tart molds. (Three tablespoons is about 60 grams of dough for a four-inch tart mold).
• Use a fork to prick throughout the bottom of each tart mold.
• Chill the tarts in the molds in the freezer for at least one hour before baking, this will prevent the dough melting too much or shrinking in the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Take your tarts straight from the freezer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. TIP: At around 8 minutes, check on your tarts to see if their centers are rising. If they are rising, you can open the oven and use a measuring cup to flatten the centers with a tiny bit of pressure. Continue to bake them until you see the edges begin to brown, then remove from the oven.
• Remove the tart shells from the molds and cool them on a rack. The finished shells should be slightly hard to the touch. If you press the centers and they feel soft or there is some flex when you hold them up, they need to be placed back in their molds to continue baking for a few more minutes (make sure to watch these as they finish cooking).
• These tart shells can be pre-made a few days before assembly, just make sure to fridge them after they cool.
• While your tart shells are chilling in the freezer, you can make the custard. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.
• Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Whisk in the sifted flour and cornstarch to the egg yolk mixture.
• Add the whole milk and vanilla extract into the egg yolk mixture.
• Move the custard mixture into a saucepan over medium heat and constantly whisk for about one to two minutes or until it begins to thicken. TIP: You will begin to see little thick specks of custard on the bottom of the pan as it begins to thicken. Do not stop whisking at this point, but if you feel this process is going to fast you can remove the pan off the heat and whisk to blend the custard properly. Your custard is done when the consistency is similar to a thick pudding. This process should take no more than a few minutes. (See image here for how the final consistency should look.)
• Remove it from the pan and place the custard in a container to cool for at least 30 minutes before assembly. This custard can be made a day in advance and fridged.
• Slice your preferred fruit. I like strawberries, blackberries, and kiwi.
• Glaze: Add apricot jelly and water in a small bowl. Microwave for about 10-15 seconds to melt the apricot jelly slightly, and mix together using a spoon. Strain the jelly mixture.
• TIP: To prevent your tarts from getting soggy, brush on some glaze to the tart before adding the custard filling. This should act as a barrier.
• Take one shell tart and spoon in the whipped custard cream. I like to add enough custard to fill about ¾ of the tart shell. Arrange your fruit on top however, you prefer. Brush on the apricot glaze over the fruit tart. Serve immediately or chill for about 15 minutes if you want a nice and cold treat.

MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Stir flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces the size of small peas. Mix in water with a fork just until the dough comes together.
• Toss berries, sugar, flour, and salt together in a bowl to make the filling. Set aside at room temperature.
• Lightly butter or grease 14 muffin cups. Place some dough in each muffin cup and press it against the bottoms and sides to create tart shells that are 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Divide berry filling evenly among the tart shells.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Refrigerate tarts for 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
• Bake tarts in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes.

MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the tart shells on a rimmed baking sheet. Prick the bottoms and sides of the dough with a fork. Bake on the bottom rack until the dough is golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let the tart shells cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the pastry cream. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the sherry. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the butter and vanilla and let cool completely.
• Spoon the cooled custard into the tart shells. Top with the fruit. Heat the apricot jelly in a saucepan or the microwave until melted. Brush the jelly onto the fruit. Let stand until set.