Fruit and Cream Mini-Tarts

Fruit and Cream Mini-Tarts


Ingredients
Tart Crust:

•     1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
•     ⅓ cup powdered sugar
•     ¼ teaspoon salt
•     ½ cup butter (1 stick), chilled
•     1 egg yolk (from a large egg)
•     1 tablespoon heavy cream

Cream Filling:

•     2-3/4 cups milk (I use 2-1/2 cups nonfat milk + ¼ cup whipping cream but any type will work)
•     ⅔ cup sugar
•     ¼ cup cornstarch
•     ⅛ teaspoon salt
•     4 egg yolks
•     2 tablespoons butter
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

•     ¼ cup currant jelly

Instructions
Crust:

    Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Cut butter into 8 slices and add to flour, pulsing several times until mixture resembles oatmeal. Add egg yolk mixed with cream. Pulse until all ingredients are moistened. Then allow machine to run a few seconds until dough starts to stick together. (Add additional drops of cream if dough seems too dry.) Press dough into a roll like refrigerated cookie dough. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.
    Spray molds generously with Baker’s Secret or something like it. (Baker’s Secret is an aerosol spray that mixes flour and oil.) If using silicone molds, no greasing is necessary.
    Slice roll of dough into 12 pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll dough between two pieces of plastic wrap into a circle slightly larger than tart molds. Press into mold with fingers being careful to keep thickness consistent. Use a knife to trim off any extra at the top. I usually have enough scraps to make another tart or two. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, overnight or up to a month.
    Place frozen tart shells on cookie sheet and press a small square of foil down into each crust that molds to shape of crust. See picture above. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown, usually about 3-4 minutes.

Cream Filling:

    Add milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks, (in that order) to blender. Blend 5 seconds and pour into 2-quart glass microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 6 minutes on HIGH, whisking until smooth after 3 minutes, then every minute thereafter.
    Add butter and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Assembly:

    Fill each baked tart shell with cream filling. Top with fruit of your choice. Melt ¼ cup currant jelly and use a brush to dab some shininess on each piece of fruit. It’s OK if some drips onto the cream.