Description
Delight in these Mini Strawberry Custard Tarts featuring a buttery sweet shortcrust pastry filled with creamy vanilla pastry cream, topped with fresh strawberries and crunchy pistachios. Perfectly baked golden shells house a silky, luscious custard made from egg yolks, milk, and vanilla, complemented by a light mascarpone-heavy cream topping. These elegant tarts offer a delightful balance of texture and flavor making them ideal for a sophisticated dessert or festive treat.
Ingredients
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- 90 g Powdered sugar
- 230 g Pastry flour (or all purpose flour)
- 30 g Almond flour
- Pinch of salt
- 110 g Unsalted butter (very cold and cut into cubes)
- 50 g Egg (approximately 1 egg)
Pastry Cream
- 500 g Whole milk
- 100 g Granulated sugar
- 80 g Egg yolk (approximately 4-5 egg yolks)
- 25 g Corn starch (sifted)
- 25 g All purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
- 50 g Unsalted butter (soft/at room temperature)
Topping
- 200 g Heavy Cream (very cold, 36% minimum fat content)
- 100 g Mascarpone (cold, full-fat)
- 40 g Powdered sugar (sifted)
- Fresh strawberries
- Chopped pistachio nuts
Instructions
- Prepare Sweet Shortcrust Pastry: Sift together pastry flour, powdered sugar, almond flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add cold butter cubes and rub with your hands until the mixture is sandy. Gradually add egg, mixing until a dough forms. Knead the dough lightly until smooth. Chill in the fridge if sticky or roll thinly between silicone mats and freeze briefly.
- Shape Tart Shells: Set up oven rack with perforated baking mat and tart rings. Cut dough into tart base circles and place in rings. Cut strips for sides, press onto rings, and freeze shells for 1 hour.
- Bake Tart Shells: Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Trim shell edges, bake for 20 minutes, remove rings, then bake 5-10 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
- Make Pastry Cream: Whisk half the sugar with egg yolks until light. Add cornstarch, flour, and vanilla to form a smooth paste. Heat milk with remaining sugar to simmer, then pour into egg mix while whisking. Return to heat, whisk until thickened just after boiling. Strain cream, then stir in softened butter.
- Prepare Topping: Whip chilled heavy cream with mascarpone and sifted powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
- Assemble Tarts: Fill cooled tart shells with pastry cream. Top with a dollop of mascarpone cream, decorate with fresh strawberries and sprinkle chopped pistachios.
Notes
- Use very cold butter and eggs when preparing dough for best texture.
- Chilling and freezing dough helps maintain shape during baking.
- Sifting flours and starches ensures a smooth pastry cream without lumps.
- Careful whisking and constant stirring of custard prevents curdling and lumps.
- Let tart shells cool fully before adding filling to avoid sogginess.
- Fresh strawberries add a bright, juicy contrast to creamy custard.
- Chopped pistachios add color and crunchy texture for visual appeal.
- Pastry cream can be prepared a day ahead and chilled, improving flavor melding.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
