Mini French Fruit Tartelettes

Traditional French Fruit Tartes in a small shell (approx 2") are a popular treat enjoyed year round. The pate sucre mini tarte shells are filled with creme patissiere and topped with fresh fruits.

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Planning

  • Prep Time:

    1 hour

  • Bake/Cook Time:

    30 minutes

  • Chill/Set Time:

    2 hours

  • Servings:

    16

Preparation

  • Materials

    Mini Tartelette Shell Pans
    Bowls for egg, egg whites, egg yolks
    Pastry cutter
    Pastry mat
    Wax paper
    Rolling pin
    Tartelette shell cutter
    16 Tartelette Shell pans
    Baking Sheet and Silpat Mat
    Stand Mixer with Wire Whip
    Medium Saucepan
    Strainer/Sieve
    Hand whisk
    Spatula
    Mixing Bowl
    Plastic Wrap
    Pastry Bag and large round tip
    Dessert Trays and doilies

  • Prep

    Separate eggs for the pastry creme and set the eggs out to bring to room temperature
    Leave the single egg for the crust chilled
    Sift and chill flour
    Sift Granulated and confectioner's sugar
    Chill the butter in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Cut into pea sized pieces and return to the freezer until you are ready for it.
    Set the pastry mat out on the counter.
    Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat
    Lightly grease the 16 tartelette pans and place on the lined baking sheet.
    Wash and prepare the fresh fruits: cut the Strawberries and Blackberries in half, and the Plum and Kiwi Fruit into thin slices.

  • Oven/Stove

    Oven at 160C/325F

  • Shopping List

    Flour
    Confectioner's Sugar
    Granulated Sugar (Extra Fine)
    Cornstarch
    Sea Salt
    Butter
    Eggs
    Heavy Cream
    Whole Milk
    Vanilla
    Fresh Fruits (1 Kiwi Fruit, 10 Blackberries, 10 Strawberries, 1 Plum, and Fresh Mint Sprigs)

Ingredients

  • Tartelette Shells

    Flour T45 or T55 - 250g (1 2/3 cup)
    Confectioner's Sugar 50 g (1/2 cup)
    Sea Salt - a pinch
    Butter (very, very cold) - 120 g (1/2 cup)
    Egg - 1 medium

  • Creme Pâtissière

    Heavy Cream & Whole Milk 375 ml (1 1/2 cup) (1C Milk + 1/2C Cream)
    1 Vanilla Bean or 2 tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract
    Egg Yolks - 3 medium at room temperature
    Granulated Sugar - 30 g (2 1/2 tbsp)
    Cornstarch - 30 g (3 tbsp.)

Steps

  • Tartelette Shells


    STEP 1: Sift the sifted flour and confectioner's sugar together then sprinkle in the salt.

    STEP 2: Add the chunks of butter cut from the freezer. Make sure each individual piece is completely coated in flour by mixing with a metal spoon and pastry cutter to make it fine and crumbly.

    STEP 3: Whisk the egg and then mix it into the flour until it forms a rough dough ball.

    STEP 4: Place the dough ball on the pastry mat. Cover with a sheet of wax paper and roll it to a thickness of about 4 mm (1/8 inch). Put it in the fridge to rest and chill for 1 hour. You can make it ahead and leave in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

    STEP 5: Remove dough ball from the fridge and remove the wax paper. Using the tart shell cutter, cut shells and press each into a lightly greased tartelette pan. Cut off any excess dough from the edges if needed. Dock the bottom of the pastry with a fork. Note: Leftover pastry can be re-rolled, chilled and used to make more tartlets.

    STEP 6: Place the sheet of tartelette shells back in the fridge to chill for at least one hour (they can rest up to 24 hours).

    STEP 7: Preheat the oven on 160C/325F. Place the shells in the freezer while the oven is preheating.

    STEP 8: Blind bake the shell crusts. Cover each crust with a little bit of baking paper and put some baking beans in each. Bake for 15 minutes then remove the weights and baking paper and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set on the countertop to cool down completely to room temperature (about 1 hour.

  • Creme Pâtissière

    VANILLA BEAN: Place the Milk in a small saucepan. Cut the vanilla bean in half, scrap the seeds then place both the seeds and the bean in the milk. Turn on low heat and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes (see note 5).
    * If you are using vanilla paste or extract just add vanilla to warm milk after it is heated.

    STEP 1: CREAM THE EGGS. Cream the egg yolks and granulated sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer. Start on medium and increase to high. Whip until foamy, then add the cornstarch and whisk until it is well blended and smooth.

    STEP 2: TEMPER THE EGGS. Slowly drizzle the hot milk into the egg yolks while mixing on medium speed.

    STEP 3: COOK THE CUSTARD. Return the custard mixture to the pot on the stove and cook on medium-low while whisking by hand continuously while it thickens (about 5 minutes)

    STEP 4: COOL DOWN. Pour the custard through a sieve into a clean bowl. Cover the custard with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill for about 1 hour.

    ASSEMBLE
    STEP 1: Place the chilled Pastry Cream in a pastry bag with a large round tip and pipe into the shells. Pipe only to about halfway up. Gently tap the shells on a hard surface to level the cream.

    STEP 2: Place the fresh fruits over the cream, pressing them in just slightly so secure them. Garnish each tartelette with a leaf of fresh mint.

    SERVE: You can serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. These look lovely on a single or tiered dessert tray on lace doilies. Scatter some fresh berries and mint sprigs around the trays.

    STORE: Cover the trays with plastic wrap or put tartelettes in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Notes

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