Mini Strawberry Tarts

 

I learned how to make tarts such as these Mini Strawberry Tarts at culinary school.  Tarts are a popular pastry in France and can be made with a wide variety of fillings such as lemon curd, almond cream and custard, and toppings such as meringue and fresh fruit.  This recipe is a ‘mini’ variation on the classic Tarte aux Fraises (Strawberry Tart) and features a rich shortcrust pastry crust filled with creamy vanilla custard and topped with fresh glazed strawberries.

 

 

 

 

 

Tips for Making Perfect Tarts

 

1. Cream the butter and sugar sufficiently:  Creaming the butter and sugar until lighter in colour and fluffy maximizes the amount of trapped air within the butterfat.  This increases the leavening of the pâte sucrée during baking, resulting in a lighter texture.
2. Do not over-mix the dough: If the dough is over-mixed after the flour has been added too much gluten may develop.  This could cause the dough to shrink as it bakes or give the baked dough a tough texture.
3. Rest the dough: Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator before rolling out allows any developed gluten to relax, making the dough less elastic and easier to roll out.  It also firms the butter in the dough, which prevents spreading during baking.
4. Avoid burning the filling: Custards like this custard filling can burn easily during cooking due to the thickness of the custard.  Burned custard will have burnt bits throughout which look and taste unappealing.  You can avoid burning the custard filling by stirring it constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot while it is cooking, and also by cooking it on lower heat and not longer than necessary.
5. Chill the filling immediately: It is important to cool the custard filling in the refrigerator immediately after it is made to prevent bacterial growth.
6. Cover the filling with parchment: Covering the custard filling with parchment paper while it is cooling in the refrigerator will prevent a tough skin from forming on top.
7. Chill the filling overnight: It is important to chill the filling overnight before assembling and serving the tarts so that it is set and does not flow out of the tarts.

 

 

Recipe Q & A

A:  Lumps may form in the custard filling if it burns during cooking or if the egg yolks and sugar aren’t mixed together immediately when combined.  In the latter case, the sugar “burns” or dries out the egg yolks resulting in the formation of hard lumps in the cooked filling.

 

 

 

 

Mini Strawberry Tarts

 

Recipe By:        Blue Ribbon Eats

Servings:           12 tarts
Prep Time:       60 minutes

Baking Time:  20 minutes

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

Pâte Sucrée:

200g all-purpose flour

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon salt

70g icing sugar

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoon 2% milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Custard Filling:

3 cups 2% milk

3/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons high-quality natural vanilla extract

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

 

2 pints of fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

Strawberry jam, for glaze

 

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Pâte Sucrée:

1. In the bowl of a mixer add the icing sugar, butter and salt.  Mix on medium-high speed using a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks and mix on medium speed just until blended.  Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix just until blended. Turn the mixer off and add the flour.  Turn to low speed and mix just until a dough forms.
2. Form the dough into a disk on a sheet of plastic wrap.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for ~1 hour.
3. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface.  Cut out 12 circles of dough using a large circular cookie cutter.  Place one circle inside each cavity of a 12 cup muffin pan and press the dough into the cavity to line the bottom and sides.  Refrigerate for ~30 minutes.
4. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.  Dock the dough at the bottom of the tart pan with a fork.  Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until the tart shells are lightly golden.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

 

Custard Filling:

1. In a medium-large pot add the milk and cream.  Mix with a whisk to blend.  In a large heat-proof bowl add the sugar, egg and egg yolks.  Mix with a whisk until the mixture is pale yellow.  Add the cornstarch and mix until blended.  Bring the milk mixture to boil.  Pour half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture and mix quickly to blend.  Pour all of the milk-egg mixture into the pot.  Turn to medium heat and cook the custard, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot, until it bubbles for ~30 seconds.
2. Pour the custard into a heatproof bowl, cover the top with parchment paper, and refrigerate until cool.

 

Assembly: