These Mini Strawberry & Cream Tartlets are the perfect treat for one! Glazed with strawberry jam and filled homemade vanilla cream topped off with fresh strawberries.
The stores are filling up with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. A telltale sign that summer is just around the corner. My little one LOVES fruit tarts and has been asking me daily if I would make another one. So the other day at the grocery store the strawberries looked absolutely delicious. Big, vibrant, and juicy! I picked up a container and decided on making these Mini Strawberry & Cream Tartlets filled with homemade vanilla cream. In addition, I added some strawberry jam to glaze the all-butter crust and then topped these cute tartlets off with some fresh strawberries. They turned out great and she was so excited when she got home to find them in the refrigerator. Within a few minutes my girls grabbed a fork and devoured them, giving them a two thumbs up!
There’s so much to love about tarts!
Tarts are one of my favorite desserts. First off, they are easy to make. What I like most about making tarts is that you don’t really need to be too fussy with the crust. My Summer Fruit Tart and Chocolate Ganache Raspberry Tart use a press-in shortbread crust, but for these tartlets I decided to use an all-butter crust that does require some rolling. However, if it’s not perfect, its fine! Once the tartlets are filled no one will know!
Second, the strawberry jam I used to glaze the bottom really gives these tartlets an extra pop of strawberry flavor. Use your favorite jam, warm it up over the stove and spread over the bottom of the cooked tartlet.
Third, the vanilla cream is thick, rich, creamy, silky, do I need to say more? What’s better than homemade vanilla cream topped with strawberries?
Lastly, dice your strawberries and pile them on the top of the tart. Simple! If you want to glaze the strawberries as I did in my Summer Fruit Tart go for it. The glaze is super simple to make and adds some shine to the tartlets. In addition, you can spread any leftover jam on the top. However, today I just was too lazy to make the glaze but they still look great and are super good!
Time Saving Tips!
For best results, assemble your tart the same day you are serving it. However, here are a couple of time saving tips that make this tart even easier!
Make the crust ahead of time and bake the tartlets. Once they are baked and cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Yes, it’s true! If you wrap them well, these tartlet shells will last for a few months!
If you don’t want to bake them that day, then just place the dough in the tartlet pans, wrap well in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Take out your prepared tartlet pans and pop them into the oven and bake.
Make the homemade vanilla cream a day before. Make the cream according to the directions, place in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. Before assembling, let the cream come to room temperature then assemble the tart. If you find the cream is a little hard to work with or lumpy, then use a hand mixer and beat it with a little milk before spreading it onto the tartlet.
Invest in a tart pan and mini tart pans!
You will love having both a tart pan and some mini tart pans. They are not expensive and if you order on Amazon like I did the other day, you can get them within a day!
Mini Strawberry & Cream Tartlets-Ingredients
- 16 oz package strawberries
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
Crust
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup butter cubed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup ice water
Homemade Vanilla Cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt.
- Cube the butter and scatter over flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the butter until pea sized crumbles form.
- Add the ice water, a little at a time, while working the dough with your hands. If dough still seems dry, add an additional 1 tbsp of ice water at a time. Do not overwork dough or it will become tough.
- Gather the dough into a ball, (it may be a little crumbly), wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide dough into 6 parts. Use one piece at a time and keep the rest refrigerated.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough a 1/4 inch thick and 1/2 inch larger than the tartlet pan. Use a serrated knife and cut a circle out of the dough. Discard scraps or use scraps and bake in a small pie plate.
- Gently press the dough into the edges of the tartlet pan, trimming off any excess.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
- Use a fork and prink holes on the bottom of the tartlets. Place prepared tartlets on a baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven set to 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden. If the crust has any bubbles in it while cooking, just use the fork and prick the dough. This will allow the air that has been trapped to escape.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Homemade Vanilla Cream
- In a large saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer beat the egg yolks. Add sugar, a little at a time, and beat until pale yellow.
- Beat in cornstarch. Mixture will be thick.
- Gradually pour in the heated milk, a little at a time, and beat well.
- Pour mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat and beat in butter and pure vanilla extract.
- Let cool.
- If cream is too thick to spread, add in more milk, a little at a time as needed, and beat until smooth.
Assembling the Tartlet
- In a small saucepan, heat strawberry jam until melted. Remove from heat.
- Spread about 1 tsp on the bottom of each cooled tartlet.
- Spoon the cream into each shell.
- Top with strawberries. If you have any leftover jam you can spread it over the top of the strawberries, if so desired.
- Store in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Sere and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
For other great tarts try:
Chocolate Ganache Raspberry Tart
Fresh Zucchini and Tomato Tart
Mini Strawberry & Cream Tartlets
Equipment
- 6 Mini tartlet pans
- Mixing Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Saucepan(s)
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 16 oz package strawberries
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
Crust
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup butter cubed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup ice water
Homemade Vanilla Cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt.
- Cube the butter and scatter over flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the butter until pea sized crumbles form.
- Add the ice water, a little at a time, while working the dough with your hands. If dough still seems dry, add an additional 1 tbsp of ice water at a time. Do not overwork dough or it will become tough.
- Gather the dough into a ball, (it may be a little crumbly), wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide dough into 6 parts. Use one piece at a time and keep the rest refrigerated.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough a 1/4 inch thick and 1/2 inch larger than the tartlet pan. Use a serrated knife and cut a circle out of the dough. Discard scraps or use scraps and bake in a small pie plate.
- Gently press the dough into the edges of the tartlet pan, trimming off any excess.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
- Use a fork and prink holes on the bottom of the tartlets. Place prepared tartlets on a baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven set to 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden. If the crust has any bubbles in it while cooking, just use the fork and prick the dough. This will allow the air that has been trapped to escape.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Homemade Vanilla Cream
- In a large saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer beat the egg yolks. Add sugar, a little at a time, and beat until pale yellow.
- Beat in cornstarch. Mixture will be thick.
- Gradually pour in the heated milk, a little at a time, and beat well.
- Pour mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat and beat in butter and pure vanilla extract.
- Let cool.
- If cream is too thick to spread, add in more milk, a little at a time as needed, and beat until smooth.
Assembling the Tartlet
- In a small saucepan, heat strawberry jam until melted. Remove from heat.
- Spread about 1 tsp on the bottom of each cooled tartlet.
- Spoon the cream into each shell.
- Top with strawberries. If you have any leftover jam you can spread it over the top of the strawberries, if so desired.
- Store in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Sere and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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