Mini Strawberry Custard Tartlets From Scratch
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. And the recipe prep comes together in under an hour, so you'll end up with 32 stunning tartlets for parties & gatherings. They are the absolute best!
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)
Assembly
- 32 mini tart shells or store-bought
- Whipped cream, for serving - optional
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!
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.
If strawberries are not in season, I recommend topping the tarts with strawberry compote instead.
Add the strawberries right before serving or the juices will make the crusts soggy.
The glaze is optional, it just makes the tartlets extra pretty!
If you're in a rush, use store-bought tart shells & good-quality vanilla pudding to make this recipe even quicker.
Serving: 1tartlet, Calories: 105kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 30mg, Potassium: 59mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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