Quick Mini Strawberry Custard Tartlets
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Can we talk about how gorgeous these mini strawberry custard tartlets are? They have flaky crust, vanilla pastry cream (a.k.a. crème pâtissière), and a juicy strawberry topping. It’s like strawberries and cream but 10 times better. And this recipe comes together in under an hour, so you’ll end up with 32 stunning tartlets for parties & gatherings!
I don’t know if it’s possible to “crave” a place, but I absolutely cannot stop thinking about Germany lately. I haven’t been since I was 22 (wow, how was that almost 8 years ago?!) but it’s one of my New Year’s resolutions to make it back this year! And I mean, Marc’s dad is from Germany and he’s never even been, so that simply won’t do.
Anyways, the first time I went to Germany, I celebrated my 22nd birthday in Berlin. For my birthday, I decided to stop by Five Elephant where I had strawberry cake and one of the best cappuccinos of my life. The cake was custard-y, super soft, and had the most beautiful strawberries I’ve ever seen maybe ever?
All that to say, these tarts are very loosely inspired by that cake. But instead of a custard-y sponge cake, I decided to use this vanilla pastry cream which I’ve literally been making ever since I was in pastry school. The homemade tartlet shells are flaky, buttery, and made in a cupcake pan so you don’t need molds or anything fancy. And obviously, each tart gets topped with fresh, juicy strawberries for good measure.
Of course, if you are looking for something more cake-like, these strawberry shortcake cups give off a similar vibe (and you can use store-bought pound cake!). Or, for something a little richer, try these mini strawberry cheesecakes because they are insanely delicious.
Use good strawberries
Since strawberries are the star of the show, it’s important to use really good ones. Look for fresh strawberries that are bright red and smell fruity and sweet. If berries aren’t in season, I recommend topping the tarts with strawberry compote instead.
Other than that, you’ll just need the pastry cream (ingredients below), tart shells, and apricot preserves. There’s absolutely no gelatin or Jell-O in this recipe! Also, the preserves are optional but give the tarts that shiny glazed top.
If you want to make homemade pastry cream, it’s made up of egg yolks, cornstarch, granulated sugar, Kosher salt, whole milk, unsalted butter, and vanilla bean paste or extract. If you’re in a big rush, a good quality store-bought vanilla pudding will work in a pinch.
The tartlet shells are super easy to make, but they do require a couple hours of chilling time. If you’re looking for a shortcut, store-bought shells are the way to go!
Vanilla pastry cream
For pastry cream that’s smooth & creamy, don’t skip straining it! Even if you really think you stirred it well, you could still end up with a few bits of scrambled egg.
Assemble the tartlets
Add the strawberries right before serving so the juices don’t make the crust soggy!
Make them in advance
Since these tartlets are best fresh, I wouldn’t assemble them more than 2 hours before serving. But, you can make all the elements beforehand! The shells and pastry cream can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. Then, right before serving, slice the strawberries and assemble the tarts.
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Mini Strawberry Custard Tartlets From Scratch
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 24 grams cornstarch (3 Tablespoons)
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 480 milliliters whole milk (2 cups)
- 42 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (3 Tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Strawberry Tarts
- 454 grams fresh strawberries (1 pound)
- 80 grams apricot preserves (1/4 cup)
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
Instructions
Pastry Cream
- Mix the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of Kosher salt in a large sauce pan. Add the egg yolks and whisk the mixture until it's thick and lightened in color, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the whole milk until smooth.
- Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes, just until the pastry cream is thick like pudding.
- Immediately strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Add the cold butter cubes and vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Stir until the butter is melted and the custard is creamy and smooth.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap to the top of the pastry cream to keep a skin from forming. Let the pastry cream cool at room temperature, about 30-60 minutes. Then, refrigerate until it's completely chilled.
Strawberry Tarts
- Cut the stems off of the strawberries. Then, dice the strawberries into small chunks.
- When the pastry cream is chilled, use a spoon or pastry bag to divide it evenly between the 32 tart shells. Top each tart with a generous spoonful of strawberries.
- Next, microwave the apricot preserves in a small bowl until it's runny, about 20-30 seconds. Use a pastry brush to brush the strawberries with the apricot glaze. Serve the tartlets immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!
