Delicious mini fruit tarts made with a buttery shortbread crust, creamy vanilla custard and topped with fresh fruit. The perfect bite-sized sweet treat for spring and summer!
Prep Time: 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 20 minutesminutes
Let Sit: 20 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour
Servings: 24
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 ¼cupsall-purpose flour
⅓cuppowdered sugar
¼teaspoon Kosher salt
½ cupcold, unsalted butter, 1 stick, cut into cubes
1Tablespoon cold water
For the Custard:
1cupmilk
¾Tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
3egg yolks
⅓cup granulated sugar
2Tablespoons cornstarch
½Tablespoonunsalted butter
Fruit Toppings:
1pint fresh blueberries
1pint fresh raspberries
Instructions
For the Crust:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
Add flour, powdered sugar and salt to a food processor and process to blend. Add 1/2 cup cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Then add cold water and process just until the dough starts to stick together. If the dough is still dry, add more water by the teaspoon.
Scoop about a tablespoon of dough into a mini muffin pan and press onto bottom and partially up sides. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Use a knife to pop out the mini tart shells. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Custard:
Put milk and vanilla bean paste in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-heat.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the cornstarch and whisk until no lumps remain. Next whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture until incorporated. Then whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the empty saucepan.
Pour the custard mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Immediately remove from the heat once a slow boil appears and stir in the butter. Allow to slightly cool.
Assemble:
Spoon custard into the cooled crust cups and let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Top with berries and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Lemon curd version: You may also fill the tart shells with a tangy lemon curd if preferred: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/lemon-curd/Fruit: Feel free to use other fruit toppings like fresh strawberries, blackberries, kiwis and mandarins. Storing: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container (or on a plate covered with plastic wrap) for up to 3 days. Make ahead: You can prepare both the tart shells and custard ahead of time, however do not assemble the tarts until right before serving. Tart shells may be stored at room temperature, while the custard will need to be refrigerated.