1 quantity sweet short pastry
(Pâte sucrée)
for 6 mini tart tins
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Add butter and rub through with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the middle. Use a fork to lightly whisk the yolks and vanilla then add them into the well. Sprinkle water over the dry mixture using a small palette knife to mix in the liquid until the pastry begins to form clumps, press it lightly together with a cupped hand to form a smooth ball. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a metal ring and stamp out pastry circles. Gently place the pastry circles on patty tins, adjusted to fit each patty cup.Thoroughly grease the patty tins and line with sweet short pastry. Trim the pastry to the tops of the tins, then blind-bake the shells for about 10 minutes.
(For Crème Pâtissière)
3 egg yolks
60 g caster sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
280 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
10 g butter
- Place egg yolks and half the sugar in a bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Add in the cornflour and flour and gently stir until combined;
- Pour milk, remaining sugar in a saucepan over medium heat to the boil. Add vanilla. Remove from heat;
- Strain the milk over the egg yolk mixture and stir continuously until smooth;
- Pour back mixture into a clean saucepan over low to medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter until well combined and leave to cool;
- Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Lay plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate until cold;
- Ladle 1-2 teaspoon(s) of pastry cream into each sweet pastry shell. Arrange fruit slices of your choice on top;
- Melt the jam with water, sieve and brush over the fruits to make them shine;
