Fresh Fruit Tarts with Sweet Pastry and Pastry Cream

https://youtu.be/g4C7r_XVMQo

These beautiful fruit tarts are the perfect summer treat. Crisp homemade sweet pastry, silky vanilla pastry cream, and a topping of fresh seasonal fruit finished with a glossy apricot glaze. In this recipe, I'll show you how to make everything from scratch, including the sweet pastry, pastry cream filling, and fruit glaze. Don't worry if you've never made fruit tarts before, I'll guide you through every step and show you just how achievable they are at home.

Fresh Fruit Tarts with Sweet Pastry and Pastry Cream

Makes 6 using 4 inch Tins

Sweet Pastry

150g plain/all-purpose flour

75g cold unsalted butter

50g icing/powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

water to bind if needed

Pastry Cream

250ml milk

40g caster/fine sugar

4 egg yolks

15g cornflour/cornstarch

1tsp vanilla extract

Topping

Selection of fresh berries

Glaze

100g apricot jam

50ml water

Sweet Pastry

Place the flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. You can also do this step using a food processor.

Add the egg yolk and mix to form a dough, adding a little cold water if required.

Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry and line tartlet tins. Chill for a further 20-30 minutes before trimming off the excess pastry.

Blind bake at 170°C for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden. Cool completely.

Pastry Cream

Heat the milk in a saucepan until just below boiling.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornflour and vanilla until smooth.

Gradually pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking continuously.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a clean bowl.

Cover the surface with cling film or baking paper and allow to cool completely.

Assembly

Fill the cooled tart shells with the chilled pastry cream and smooth the surface.

Arrange the fresh berries neatly on top of each tart.

Glaze

Heat the apricot jam and water together until smooth.

Strain if desired, then brush lightly over the fruit to create a glossy finish.

Chill until required and serve.