Description
These Mini Fruit Tarts feature crisp, buttery tart shells filled with creamy homemade vanilla pudding and topped with a colorful assortment of fresh fruit. The delicate pastry crust is baked to golden perfection and chilled before filling, making them a delightful, refreshing dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Tart Shells
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold, cut into pieces)
- 3 tablespoons milk
Filling & Topping
- Generous ½ cup homemade vanilla pudding
- 2 cups diced assorted fresh fruit (such as berries, kiwi, grapes, cherries, peaches, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons apricot preserves (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter pieces. Pulse several times until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
- Form the dough: Pour in half of the milk and pulse until the dough starts to come together in a ball. Add additional milk a splash at a time if necessary until the dough is pliable but not wet.
- Shape and chill the shells: Using a small cookie scoop, portion out 1-tablespoon of dough into each well of a 24-well mini muffin tin. Press the dough evenly across the bottoms and up the edges. Refrigerate the tin for at least 30 minutes to chill the shells.
- Preheat the oven: While the tart shells chill, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the shells: Once chilled, prick the bottoms of each shell a few times with a fork to prevent puffing. Bake for 13-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack completely.
- Fill the tarts: Use a small offset spatula to carefully lift each tart shell from the tin. Spoon a generous teaspoon of vanilla pudding into each shell, then top with the diced fresh fruit.
- Glaze the fruit (optional): Mix apricot preserves with 1 teaspoon of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 15-30 seconds until melted, then gently brush the glaze over the fruit to give a shiny finish.
- Serve or store: Serve the mini fruit tarts immediately or store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve to keep them fresh.
Notes
- You can use any combination of fresh fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, grapes, cherries, or peaches.
- If you don’t have homemade vanilla pudding, store-bought pudding can be used as a substitute.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough to maintain a tender, flaky crust.
- The apricot glaze not only adds shine but helps preserve the freshness of the fruit.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
