Mini Summer Fruit Tarts with Creme Patisserie

How time flies, it's officially October now. At least I'm still enjoying the warm weather here, it's been a very sunny and warm (26-29C) week, so make the best of it. Very unusual really for this time of the year.

I had been busy (quoted : enjoying it ) throughout this summer, been going places, doing London to Cambridge cycle ride, a number of social occasions-BBQ, punting, etc, and highlight being able to meet up with Ann & Tim over in London.

I'm back here again to give some TLC to my desserted blog [sincere apology to my readers] . Where to start..... of course it'll be about food. I baked some mini summer fruit tarts yesterday to bring to work for a good cause - The Big Coffee Morning in support of the MacMillan Cancer Support fundraising event. I am happy that I put my baking skill for a good cause.




Mini Summer Fruit Tarts

Ingredients (makes around 15-16 tarts)

Pate Sucree (Sweet pastry)

• 175 gm cake flour




• 75 gm ground almond




• 100 gm butter




• 75 gm icing sugar




• pinch of salt




• 2 egg yolks

Creme Patisserie

• 300 ml of milk




• 3 large egg yolks




• 50 gm sugar




• 2 tbsp flour




• 2 tbsp corn flour




• 1 tsp vanilla essence

1. For the pate sucree, in a mixing bowl sieve the flour and icing sugar, then add in ground almond and salt. Rub in the butter with flour until it resembles bread crumb.




2. Whisk the yolk lightly and slowly add into the dry mixtures. Use a spoon to roughly mix. Form the dough using the cling film method.




3. On a work surface, lay it with cling film ( roughly about 40cm x 30cm ) . Then pour (2) onto the cling film, then wrap the cling film around it to form a dough ball. Then put into the fridge and let it rest for 1-2hrs. Meanwhile you can prepare creme patisserie.




4. Beat in 3 egg yolks and sugar into a heat proof dish. Whisk the yolk and sugar together, then slowly add in the flour and corn flour to form a paste, then add in the vanilla essence. Meanwhile heat the milk just until it start to foam, then slowly add in the milk to egg mixture and continue to whisk.




5. Then cook this mixture over low heat, take care to continue whisking all the time. The liquids will start to thickens, off the heat once the consistency you desired is achieved.




6. Let it to cool. to ensure there are no thick layers form on the surface, drop in just a bit of butter on the surface, and use a cling film to cover the surface. This creme patisserie can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.




7. Now back to pate sucree. Lightly oil the muffin baking tray. Take out the dough from fridge. Unseal the cling film wrap, use another cling film to cover the top of the dough. use a rolling pin and roll the dough to about 3mm thickness. If the dough is soft due to heat from surrounding, put it back to fridge to let it set for anothe half an hour, so that it'll be easier to cut and shape later on.




8. Use a 3inch round cutter, cut the pastry and place it onto the individual muffin baking cup. Shape nicely the tart in the cup. Continue until done. Use a fork to poke holes on the bottom of the tart. It is very important to bake blind the pastry. Basically I warp small pouches of uncooked rice/bean in cling film and fill the hole in each tart. This will ensure the baked tart retain it shape during baking and baked evenly. You can put the tart into the fridge to rest for another 20minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180C.




9. Bake for around 12-15mins until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it cool. Once cool the tart cases can be removed easily from the muffin tin. To serve fill the tart with a tbsp of creme patisserie and top with fruits-strawberry, kiwis, raspberry, blueberries, mangoes, peaches...the choice is endless :-). You can glaze the fruits with light sugary syrup(this is optional)

As long as baking is done with ingredients of joy and love, any tarts will turn out lovely. :-)