In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and powdered sugar. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers to rub them into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix gently until the dough begins to form. Add another tablespoon of water only if needed.
Wrap the dough and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This step keeps the tart shells from shrinking while baking.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut circles and press them gently into mini tart pans or muffin tins. Prick the bottoms with a fork to prevent puffing.
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 12–15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let them cool completely before filling.
Make the Pastry Cream
Warm the milk in a saucepan just until steam rises — not boiling.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and pale
Slowly pour the warm milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. This step prevents the eggs from scrambling.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking the entire time. When it thickens to a pudding-like consistency, remove it from the heat.
Add the butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth and glossy.
Let the pastry cream cool completely
Assemble the Mini Fruit Tarts
Spoon or pipe the cooled pastry cream into each shell. Fill them generously — the cream is what holds everything together.
Top each tart with fresh fruit. You can arrange it neatly, create patterns, or just scatter fruit casually.
Mix apricot jam with a splash of water and warm it briefly. Brush lightly over the fruit for shine and freshness.
Mini fruit tarts taste best the day they’re assembled
