Description
Delightful Mini Fruit Tarts featuring a buttery crust filled with smooth Italian pastry cream and topped with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and kiwi, finished with a glossy apricot glaze. Perfect for an elegant dessert or a refreshing treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Cream
- 1 ½ cups (354 ml) whole milk
- 1 strip lemon rind
- 3 egg yolks
- â…“ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tart Dough
- 4 ounces (120 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- â…“ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
Glaze and Toppings
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam or conserve
- Water as needed
- 4 oz (115 g) blueberries
- 4 oz (115 g) raspberries
- 2 kiwi fruits
Instructions
- Heat Milk with Lemon Rind: Heat the milk and lemon rind in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat.
- Mix Egg Yolks and Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and flour until smooth. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Cook Pastry Cream: Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until thickened and boiling, then simmer for 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Cool Pastry Cream: Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto surface, cool 10-15 minutes, then chill until cold.
- Prepare Tart Dough – Beat Butter Mixture: Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar and lemon zest and beat until combined.
- Add Egg: Lightly beat the egg, then gradually add it to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.
- Incorporate Flour and Salt: Use a wooden spoon to work in flour and salt until combined. Knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Form Tart Crusts: Spray mini tart pans with non-stick spray. Roll half dough between parchment to ¼ inch thickness. Cut circles to fit pans.
- Fit Dough and Freeze: Press dough into pans, trim edges, prick base with fork, then freeze for 30 minutes.
- Bake Tart Shells: Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden at edges. Cool on wire rack.
- Prepare Apricot Glaze: Heat apricot jam in microwave until liquid, strain through fine mesh to remove solids, thin with water if needed for brushable glaze.
- Fill Tart Shells: Spoon chilled pastry cream evenly into cooled tart shells.
- Arrange Fruit: Place blueberries, raspberries, and kiwi slices on top of cream, pressing gently.
- Brush with Glaze: Lightly brush fruit with apricot glaze for shine.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate tarts until ready to serve.
Notes
- Ensure pastry cream is fully chilled before filling to prevent it from melting the tart shells.
- The tart dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Use ripe, fresh fruit for best flavor and appearance.
- Adjust the apricot glaze consistency by adding water gradually—thin enough to brush but not too watery.
- Pricking the tart base prevents bubbling during baking.
