Step 1: Prepare the Tart Dough

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt. This ensures the dry ingredients are evenly distributed before adding the butter.
2. Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Tip: The key to flaky tart shells is keeping the butter cold. Work quickly and avoid overworking the dough.
3. Add Ice Water: Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Continue adding water until the dough just comes together and forms a shaggy ball. Be careful not to add too much water, as this can make the dough tough.
4. Form a Disc and Chill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times to bring it together. Form the dough into a disc, about 1 inch thick. Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably 2 hours, to allow the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up. Tip: Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing shrinkage and ensuring a tender crust.

Step 2: Roll Out and Shape the Tart Shells

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Tart Pans: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease and flour Easter egg-shaped tart pans (or mini tart pans if you prefer). You can also use muffin tins if you don’t have tart pans.
2. Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled tart dough to about ⅛-inch thickness. Tip: Roll from the center outwards, rotating the dough as you go to ensure even thickness and prevent sticking.
3. Cut Out Tart Shells: Use an Easter egg-shaped cookie cutter that is slightly larger than your tart pans to cut out egg shapes from the rolled dough. You should be able to get around 12-16 tart shells depending on the size of your cookie cutter and tart pans.
4. Press Dough into Tart Pans: Gently press each dough egg into a tart pan, making sure it fits snugly and evenly lines the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges. Tip: Use your fingers to crimp the edges of the tart shells for a decorative touch.
5. Dock the Tart Shells: Prick the bottom of each tart shell several times with a fork. This prevents the crust from puffing up during baking.
6. Bake Blind: Line the tart shells with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice. This will help the shells maintain their shape while baking. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove Weights and Bake Further: Carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Return the tart shells to the oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown and fully baked. Tip: Keep a close eye on them during the final baking stage to prevent over-browning.
8. Cool Completely: Remove the baked tart shells from the oven and let them cool completely in the tart pans on a wire rack before filling.

Step 3: Prepare the Pastry Cream Filling

1. Heat Milk and Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and half of the granulated sugar (¼ cup). Heat over medium heat until just simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
2. Whisk Egg Yolks and Sugar: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining granulated sugar (¼ cup), cornstarch, and salt until pale and smooth. This step is crucial to prevent lumps in your pastry cream.
3. Temper the Egg Yolks: Slowly drizzle a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This process is called tempering and gradually raises the temperature of the egg yolks, preventing them from scrambling when added to the hot milk. Continue adding about half of the hot milk mixture in a slow stream while whisking.
4. Combine Mixtures and Cook: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the pastry cream thickens and comes to a simmer. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring vigorously, to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked and the pastry cream is smooth and glossy. Tip: Don’t stop stirring! Constant stirring is key to preventing lumps and scorching.
5. Stir in Butter and Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cubed butter until melted and fully incorporated, giving the pastry cream a beautiful shine. Stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Cool Pastry Cream: Pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the pastry cream to cool completely and thicken further. Tip: Chilling the pastry cream is essential for achieving the right consistency for filling the tarts.

Step 4: Assemble the Easter Egg Fruit Tarts

1. Prepare Fruit: Wash and dry your chosen fruits. Slice larger fruits like strawberries, kiwi, and mango into bite-sized pieces. Hull strawberries and halve or quarter them depending on their size. Peel mandarin oranges and separate into segments.
2. Fill Tart Shells with Pastry Cream: Once the tart shells and pastry cream are completely cooled, spoon or pipe the pastry cream into each tart shell, filling them almost to the top. You can use a piping bag with a decorative tip for a more elegant presentation if desired.
3. Arrange Fruit on Top: Get creative and arrange the prepared fruit attractively on top of the pastry cream in each tart. You can create patterns, use a variety of colors and textures, and let your artistic side shine! Tip: Start with larger fruits and then fill in the gaps with smaller berries for a visually appealing and abundant look.
4. Glaze (Optional): If desired, gently brush the fruit topping with a thin layer of apricot jam or glaze. This will give the fruit a beautiful shine and help to keep it fresh and prevent browning.
5. Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the assembled Easter Egg Fruit Tarts for at least 30 minutes to allow the pastry cream to firm up further and the flavors to meld.