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Strawberry Tartlets: A Delicious & Easy Recipe

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Delicate strawberry tartlets with sweet shortcrust pastry, creamy vanilla pastry cream, and a fresh strawberry topping with a glossy glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 125g (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 50g (1/4 cup) icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2–3 tablespoons ice water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 500ml (2 cups) whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 40g (1/3 cup) cornstarch
  • 25g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 500g (about 1 pound) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered depending on size
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry jam or apricot jam
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, icing sugar, and salt.
  2. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, rub or cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt.
  3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water. Use a fork to gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  4. If the dough seems too dry, add the remaining tablespoon of ice water, a little at a time, until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
  5. Gently bring the dough together into a disc. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably 1 hour.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Rotate the dough as you roll to ensure it’s even and doesn’t stick to the surface.
  7. Use a round cookie cutter or a sharp knife to cut out circles of dough slightly larger than the tartlet tins (about 3 inches).
  8. Gently press the dough circles into the tartlet tins, making sure the dough is evenly distributed and reaches the edges. Use your fingers to trim any excess dough from the edges.
  9. Use a fork to prick the bottom of each tartlet crust several times.
  10. Place the lined tartlet tins in the refrigerator for another 15-20 minutes.
  11. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  12. Line each tartlet crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice.
  13. Bake for 15 minutes.
  14. Carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights.
  15. Return the tartlet shells to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
  16. Remove the tartlet shells from the oven and let them cool completely in the tins before filling.
  17. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla bean (or vanilla extract). Heat over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and let steep for 15-20 minutes to infuse the milk with vanilla flavor. If using vanilla extract, add it after the milk has cooled slightly.
  18. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened.
  19. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
  20. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
  21. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking vigorously, to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked and the pastry cream is thick and smooth.
  22. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the softened butter until melted and fully incorporated.
  23. For an extra smooth pastry cream, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
  24. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the pastry cream to cool completely and thicken further.
  25. Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut them in half or quarter them, depending on their size.
  26. In a small saucepan, combine the strawberry jam (or apricot jam) and water. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the jam is melted and smooth. Strain the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any seeds or lumps.
  27. Spoon or pipe the chilled pastry cream into the cooled tartlet shells, filling them to the top.
  28. Arrange the strawberry halves or quarters on top of the pastry cream in a decorative pattern.
  29. Brush the strawberries with the warm glaze.
  30. Refrigerate the assembled tartlets for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the pastry cream to set further and the glaze to firm up.

Notes

  • Make sure the butter is very cold when making the pastry. This helps create a flaky crust.
  • Don’t overwork the dough when making the pastry, or it will become tough.
  • Blind baking the tart shells prevents them from becoming soggy.
  • Tempering the egg yolks is essential to prevent them from scrambling when making the pastry cream.
  • Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream as it cools to prevent a skin from forming.
  • You can use other fruits for the topping, such as raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries.

Find it online: https://mmmflavors.com/strawberry-tartlets/