Sunday, July 26, 2009

Classic Mini Fruit Tarts


So simple, so cute, so summery. These might just be making an appearance several times this summer at my place. Good thing they are so easy too!

Mini Fruit Tarts

Ingredients:
Pastry for Single Crust Pie:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbap very cold or frozen butter, cut into chunks
2 1/2 tbsp very cold or frozen shortening, cut into chunks
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice water

1 recipe pastry cream
Blueberries, Strawberries or other fresh fruit

Directions:
1. Put the flour, sugar and salt into a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing - what you're aiming for is to have some pieces the size of peas and others the size of barley. Pulsing, gradually add 3 tablespoons water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again and keep going. Then a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water as necessary, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched.
2. Scrape the dough onto a work surface and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 2 days before using.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut into rounds and place each round in a muffin tin to form mini tart shells. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fully baked and golden brown. Cool fully before using. TIP: You can make these in advance and freeze in a large Ziploc bag to be filled later.
4. To serve: Scoop pastry cream into each tartlet shell and top with fruit of choice.

4 comments:

Wandering Coyote said...

Oh, this looks sooooooo goooooood!

petite nyonya said...

Yours is the 2nd mini fruit tart I saw today and I'm really encouraged to make some too.

Julia @ Mélanger said...

Ohhhh, these just look the perfect size. Could almost pop a whole one in my mouth - delicious! :)

Alisa@Foodista said...

That looks delicious!I followed you from the foodieblogroll and I did a doubletake on this one!I want a whole box of that!!!