Mini strawberry cream tarts

Hi!

After weeks with my kitchen “closed for renovation” I’m finally back with these delicious mini tartlets filled with pastry cream and fresh strawberries.

The recipe is from the wonderful book Bake with Anna Olson. I love to watch her cooking programs, and couldn’t wait to try some of her recipes.

The result is spectacular. Light, with just the right amount of sweetness and a salty touch that balances and brings harmony to this dessert. And best of all, they are very very easy to make.

Ingredients

Pastry cream

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 vanilla pod (seeds only) or 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter cut into pieces

Crust

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of digestive biscuit crumbs
• 4 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
• Fresh strawberries

To make the cream, heat the milk with the vanilla over medium heat until just below a simmer.

In a bowl mix the yolks, sugar and cornstarch.

In another bowl, place the butter with a sieve resting on top of it.

When the milk is ready, whisk into the egg mixture, then return to the saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly until it thickens, about two minutes.

Immediately pour this mixture through the sieve into the butter and mix well until the butter is fully incorporated. Cover with a film placing it in direct contact with the cream so that it does not form a crust.

Let it cool to room temperature and then take it to the fridge until needed. This cream can be made perfectly the day before and have it in the fridge ready for the final step.

To make the shells, preheat the oven to 180ºC and grease one or two muffins trays.

Mix flour, cookie crumbs, sugar and salt in a bowl and then add the melted butter, mixing until completely incorporated.

Place about a tablespoon of mixture into each cup and flatten it with your fingers, raising it a little to the sides.

Bake for 10 minutes and let them cool in the pans before unmolding and filling them.

To assemble, stir the custard to make it creamy again, fill each shell with the help of a spoon or a pastry bag.

Once filled, place one piece of fresh strawberry on top of each tartlet. Keep them in the fridge until serving time. This will help the shells to settle , otherwise they tend to be a bit on the fragile side.

Enjoy!