Follow these detailed instructions carefully to create your own stunning and delicious mini fruit tarts. We’ll break it down into making the crust, preparing the pastry cream, and finally, assembling your masterpieces.

Part 1: Crafting the Perfect Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour (if using), powdered sugar, and salt. This ensures even distribution.
2. Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor on pulse mode, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. These butter pieces are key to a flaky crust.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of ice water. Add this to the flour-butter mixture. Gently mix with a fork or your hands until the dough just starts to come together. If it seems too dry and crumbly, add the remaining tablespoon of ice water, one teaspoon at a time, until it forms a cohesive dough. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the crust tough.
4. Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days. This chilling period allows the gluten to relax (preventing shrinkage) and the butter to firm up, making it easier to roll.
5. Prepare Tartlet Tins: Lightly grease 10-12 (depending on size, typically 4-inch/10cm) mini tartlet tins with removable bottoms. If using non-stick tins, greasing might be optional but is good insurance.
6. Roll and Line Tins: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ⅛-inch (3mm) thickness. Use a round cookie cutter or a knife to cut circles slightly larger than your tartlet tins. Carefully press the dough circles into the tins, ensuring they fit snugly against the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough from the rim using your rolling pin or a sharp knife.
7. Dock and Chill Again: Prick the bottom of each tart shell a few times with a fork. This prevents the pastry from puffing up during baking. Place the lined tartlet tins on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes (or freezer for 15 minutes). This second chill is crucial for preventing shrinkage.
8. Blind Bake the Crusts: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line each chilled tart shell with a small piece of parchment paper or a cupcake liner, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. This is called “blind baking” and ensures the crust bakes evenly without puffing or slumping.
9. Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights. Return the tart shells to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown and cooked through.
10. Cool: Let the tart shells cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before carefully removing them (if they have removable bottoms) and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If your tins don’t have removable bottoms, let them cool completely in the tins.

Part 2: Whipping Up Luscious Vanilla Pastry Cream

1. Prepare Milk Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and half of the granulated sugar (¼ cup / 50g). If using a vanilla bean, add the split bean and scraped seeds to the milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and just beginning to simmer (small bubbles forming around the edges). Do not let it boil.
2. Combine Yolks and Sugar: While the milk is heating, in a separate heatproof bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well combined. Add the egg yolks and whisk vigorously until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and smooth. This step is important for a lump-free cream.
3. Temper the Eggs: Once the milk is hot, remove it from the heat. Very slowly, pour about half a cup of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This process, called tempering, gradually raises the temperature of the egg yolks, preventing them from scrambling when added to the hot milk.
4. Cook the Cream: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Return the saucepan to medium heat. Whisk constantly and vigorously, making sure to get into the corners of the pan, until the pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil. Once it boils, continue to whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook out the cornstarch taste and ensure it’s fully thickened. The cream should be very thick.
5. Strain and Finish: Remove the saucepan from the heat. If you used a vanilla bean, remove it now. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. This removes any potential lumps or bits of cooked egg, ensuring an ultra-smooth texture.
6. Add Butter and Vanilla: While the cream is still hot, add the softened butter and vanilla extract (if not using a bean). Whisk until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, and the cream is smooth and glossy.
7. Chill the Pastry Cream: Pour the pastry cream into a shallow dish or onto a baking sheet to cool it down faster. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or until completely chilled and set. It will thicken further as it cools.

Part 3: Assembling Your DIY Mini Fruit Tarts

1. Prepare the Fruit: Wash and dry all your chosen fruits. Hull and slice strawberries, peel and segment oranges or kiwis, leave small berries like blueberries and raspberries whole. The goal is to have bite-sized, attractive pieces.
2. Fill the Tart Shells: Once the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled and the tart shells are completely cool, give the pastry cream a good whisk to loosen it up and make it smooth again. You can transfer it to a piping bag (with or without a decorative tip) for a neater finish, or simply spoon it into the cooled tart shells. Fill each shell generously, smoothing the top.
3. Arrange the Fruit: Now for the fun part! Artfully arrange your prepared fresh fruit on top of the pastry cream. You can create patterns, concentric circles, or a more rustic jumble – let your creativity shine! Try to cover most of the cream to prevent it from drying out.
4. Glaze (Optional but Recommended): For a professional, glossy finish and to help preserve the fruit, prepare a simple glaze. In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, gently heat the apricot jam (or redcurrant jelly) with the teaspoon of water until it’s melted and smooth. Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve if it’s lumpy.
5. Apply Glaze: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the warm glaze over the fruit on each tart. Be gentle so as not to disturb your beautiful fruit arrangement.
6. Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the assembled mini fruit tarts for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the glaze to set and the flavours to meld.