Berry Tartlets

Yields one 9” tart or 5 mini tartlets

1 recipe Sweet Tart Dough
1⁄2 recipe pastry cream
Fresh berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries

Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. Roll each into a circle with a thickness of 1⁄8”. Gently fit the dough into the tart circles or mini tart pans. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment and freeze for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove shells from the freezer and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then dock the bottoms of the shells with a fork if puffing up. Continue to bake until light brown, another 5-10 minutes, depending on how long they were frozen in the previous step. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Once tart shells are cool, fill with about 3 tablespoons of pastry cream and smooth the top. Distribute berries of your choice on top of pastry cream.

Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)

2 c whole milk
2 t vanilla bean paste
1⁄4 t salt
4 T cornstarch
1⁄2 c + 1 T sugar
2 large eggs
2 T unsalted butter

Scald milk in a medium saucepan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch, salt and sugar. Add the eggs, whisking until smooth. Add about half of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Pour the egg/milk mix back into the hot milk pan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened, like whipped cream. To cook the cornstarch thoroughly, it will need to come just to the boiling point, so you will see a few bubbles break the surface. If it’s allowed to boil vigorously, it will curdle. Off heat, stir in the vanilla bean paste.

Strain pastry cream through a sieve. Let cool briefly, stirring so a skin doesn’t form on top, then whisk in butter, one tablespoon at a time. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the cream.

Sweet Tart Dough

Makes 1 9” tart shell or 5 4” tartlets

1⁄2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄3 c sugar
1 c + 2 T all purpose flour
1 egg
Pinch salt
1⁄4 t vanilla bean paste (optional)
Egg wash: 1 egg

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt until well combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla if using, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add all the flour at once, and mix on low until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Form it into a disk and wrap well in plastic. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before rolling it out.