Fruit Tartlets with Custard (No Tart Pan Needed!)
For the perfect fruit-to-custard-to-crust ratio, look no further than these easy fruit tartlets! They're made with buttery crust, vanilla bean-flecked pastry cream, a rainbow of fresh fruit, and apricot glaze. And, all you need is a cupcake pan or muffin tin. They are beyond gorgeous and amazing for spring holidays, BBQs, birthdays, and everything in-between.
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
Fruit Tartlets
- 8 strawberries
- 2 kiwis
- 4 clementines
- 32 fresh raspberries
- 32 fresh blueberries
- 32 homemade mini tart shells or store-bought
- 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 together in a large sauce pan. Add the egg yolks and whisk the mixture until it's thickened and lightened in color, 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 thickened. It should be the consistency of 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 pastry cream is very 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 1 hour. Then, refrigerate until it's completely chilled.
Fruit Tartlets
- Start by prepping the fruit. Cut the stems off of the strawberries and cut each strawberry into 4 slices. Then, peel the kiwis. Cut each kiwi into 4 slices & cut each slice into quarters so you have 32 pieces in total. Peel the clementines and separate the clementines into 32 segments. Then, wash the raspberries and blueberries. Dry the fruit very well.
- 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 slice of strawberry, slice of kiwi, clementine segment, one raspberry, and one blueberry.
- Next, microwave the apricot preserves in a small bowl until it's runny, about 20-30 seconds. Use a pastry brush to brush the fruit with the apricot glaze. Serve the tartlets immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
You want to cook the pastry cream over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a boil. Let it boil for just 1-2 minutes, until it's thick like pudding. Don't over-cook the pastry cream or it'll taste eggy.
For the best flavors and textures, I definitely recommend using whatever fruit is in season.
Dry the fruit really well. You don't want any extra moisture making the crusts soggy. I also recommend assembling the tarts right before serving so the fruit juices don't leak.
The glaze is optional, it just makes the tartlets extra pretty!
Serving: 1tartlet, Calories: 111kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 29mg, Potassium: 73mg, Fiber: 0.7g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @sundaytable.co on Instagram!