Christmas Wreath Mini Tarts
Christmas Wreath Mini Tarts
Ingredients
For the Tart Shells
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ice water, plus 1-2 tablespoons as needed
For the Raspberry Jam Layer
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam, seedless, or other red fruit jam
For the Pastry Cream Filling
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
For the Green Wreath Decoration
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk, plus 1 teaspoon as needed
- 3 drops green food coloring, gel
For the Red Berry Decoration
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus 1/2 teaspoon as needed
- 3 drops red food coloring, gel
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Tart Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, icing sugar, and salt. Cut in the very cold, cubed unsalted butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of ice water. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. If the dough is too dry, add more ice water 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Prepare the Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture by gradually whisking in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk, then pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and cold, cubed unsalted butter until melted and smooth. Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until completely chilled.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Bake the Tart Shells: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled tart dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch fluted or round cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough. Carefully press each dough circle into the cups of the mini muffin tin. Prick the bottom of each shell several times with a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the tart shells cool in the tin for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 375
- 4
Whip the Heavy Cream: Once the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled, whip the cold heavy cream in a separate bowl until it forms medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream until fully incorporated. This lightens the custard and makes it more luxurious.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Assemble the Tarts: Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam into the bottom of each cooled tart shell. Then, spoon or pipe the lightened pastry cream over the jam, filling each tart shell almost to the brim. Smooth the top with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Prepare the Green and Red Icings: For the green icing, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and 3 drops of green gel food coloring until smooth. Add more milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time if needed to reach a thick but pipeable consistency. For the red icing, whisk together 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk and 3 drops of red gel food coloring until smooth. Adjust consistency with more milk if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Decorate the Tarts: Transfer the green icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (like Wilton 2 or 3). Pipe small green lines onto the surface of each tart, radiating outwards from the center to form a circle, resembling a wreath. Immediately, while the green icing is still wet, use a toothpick to gently drag through the green lines, pulling them outwards and inwards to create a stylized leaf or wreath pattern. Clean the toothpick between each tart for crisp lines.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Add Red Berries: Transfer the red icing to a separate piping bag fitted with an even smaller round tip, or simply snip a tiny corner off the bag. Pipe small red dots onto the green wreath design to represent berries. Allow the icing to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store any leftover tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Christmas Wreath Mini Tarts
Ingredients
For the Tart Shells
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ice water, plus 1-2 tablespoons as needed
For the Raspberry Jam Layer
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam, seedless, or other red fruit jam
For the Pastry Cream Filling
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
For the Green Wreath Decoration
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk, plus 1 teaspoon as needed
- 3 drops green food coloring, gel
For the Red Berry Decoration
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus 1/2 teaspoon as needed
- 3 drops red food coloring, gel
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Tart Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, icing sugar, and salt. Cut in the very cold, cubed unsalted butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of ice water. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. If the dough is too dry, add more ice water 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Prepare the Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture by gradually whisking in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk, then pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and cold, cubed unsalted butter until melted and smooth. Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until completely chilled.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Bake the Tart Shells: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled tart dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch fluted or round cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough. Carefully press each dough circle into the cups of the mini muffin tin. Prick the bottom of each shell several times with a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the tart shells cool in the tin for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 375 - 4
Whip the Heavy Cream: Once the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled, whip the cold heavy cream in a separate bowl until it forms medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream until fully incorporated. This lightens the custard and makes it more luxurious.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Assemble the Tarts: Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam into the bottom of each cooled tart shell. Then, spoon or pipe the lightened pastry cream over the jam, filling each tart shell almost to the brim. Smooth the top with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Prepare the Green and Red Icings: For the green icing, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and 3 drops of green gel food coloring until smooth. Add more milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time if needed to reach a thick but pipeable consistency. For the red icing, whisk together 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk and 3 drops of red gel food coloring until smooth. Adjust consistency with more milk if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Decorate the Tarts: Transfer the green icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (like Wilton 2 or 3). Pipe small green lines onto the surface of each tart, radiating outwards from the center to form a circle, resembling a wreath. Immediately, while the green icing is still wet, use a toothpick to gently drag through the green lines, pulling them outwards and inwards to create a stylized leaf or wreath pattern. Clean the toothpick between each tart for crisp lines.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Add Red Berries: Transfer the red icing to a separate piping bag fitted with an even smaller round tip, or simply snip a tiny corner off the bag. Pipe small red dots onto the green wreath design to represent berries. Allow the icing to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store any leftover tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 5 min