Fruit Tarts
Fruit Tarts
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
For the pastry cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
For the filling
- as needed fresh strawberries
- as needed fresh blueberries
- as needed fresh raspberries
Instructions
- 1
In a clear glass bowl, combine the 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and the 1/2 cup cold butter (cubed). Rub the cold butter into the flour with your hands until the mixture is crumbly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the 3 egg yolks (added one by one), and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Knead the mixture quickly with your hands until it forms a smooth dough.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic film. Chill the wrapped dough for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min
- 4
After chilling, divide the dough into approximately 8 equal portions using a dough cutter. Lightly dust a wooden cutting board with flour.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Take one portion of dough, dust it lightly with flour, and roll it out with a rolling pin until it is thin and roughly circular. Carefully lift the rolled-out dough and place it into a small fluted tartlet mold.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Press the dough gently into the mold to conform to its shape. Trim any excess dough around the edges of the mold using a knife. Prick the base of the dough-lined mold with a fork.
⏱️ 4 min
- 7
Blind bake the tartlet shells in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove the baked shells from their molds and let them cool completely.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 8
While the tartlet shells are baking or cooling, prepare the pastry cream. In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 cups whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 4 egg yolks, and 1/4 cup cornstarch until smooth and pale.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Gradually temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly whisking about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Whisk continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Continue to boil and whisk for 1 minute to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, making the cream smooth and glossy.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl. Cover the surface of the cream directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold and set.
⏱️ 60 min
- 14
Once the pastry cream is chilled, whisk it vigorously for 1-2 minutes to loosen it and make it smooth before piping.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Using a piping bag (with the tip cut off), pipe a generous amount of pastry cream into each cooled tartlet shell, creating a wavy pattern.
⏱️ 5 min
- 16
Decorate the filled tartlets with fresh berries. Some tartlets can be decorated with a mix of fruits (e.g., 5 whole strawberries and 4 blueberries), while others can be decorated with a single type of fruit (e.g., whole raspberries or whole blueberries).
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Fruit Tarts
For the shortcrust pastry
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
For the pastry cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
For the filling
- as needed fresh strawberries
- as needed fresh blueberries
- as needed fresh raspberries
Instructions
- 1
In a clear glass bowl, combine the 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and the 1/2 cup cold butter (cubed). Rub the cold butter into the flour with your hands until the mixture is crumbly.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the 3 egg yolks (added one by one), and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Knead the mixture quickly with your hands until it forms a smooth dough.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic film. Chill the wrapped dough for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min - 4
After chilling, divide the dough into approximately 8 equal portions using a dough cutter. Lightly dust a wooden cutting board with flour.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Take one portion of dough, dust it lightly with flour, and roll it out with a rolling pin until it is thin and roughly circular. Carefully lift the rolled-out dough and place it into a small fluted tartlet mold.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Press the dough gently into the mold to conform to its shape. Trim any excess dough around the edges of the mold using a knife. Prick the base of the dough-lined mold with a fork.
⏱️ 4 min - 7
Blind bake the tartlet shells in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove the baked shells from their molds and let them cool completely.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 8
While the tartlet shells are baking or cooling, prepare the pastry cream. In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 cups whole milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 4 egg yolks, and 1/4 cup cornstarch until smooth and pale.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Gradually temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly whisking about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Whisk continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickens significantly and comes to a boil. Continue to boil and whisk for 1 minute to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, making the cream smooth and glossy.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl. Cover the surface of the cream directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold and set.
⏱️ 60 min - 14
Once the pastry cream is chilled, whisk it vigorously for 1-2 minutes to loosen it and make it smooth before piping.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Using a piping bag (with the tip cut off), pipe a generous amount of pastry cream into each cooled tartlet shell, creating a wavy pattern.
⏱️ 5 min - 16
Decorate the filled tartlets with fresh berries. Some tartlets can be decorated with a mix of fruits (e.g., 5 whole strawberries and 4 blueberries), while others can be decorated with a single type of fruit (e.g., whole raspberries or whole blueberries).
⏱️ 3 min