Spring is finally here! Gorgeous sunny days, green grass, daffodils in bloom. This is my favorite time of the year. Everything about springtime makes me happy. The most perfect weather here in California, maxi dresses and sandals, and celebrating Easter with family and friends. I’m quite content with this season, yes I am.
I’ve made these mini fresh fruit tarts to celebrate the coming of spring. Tiny pastry cups, filled with a vibrant lemon cream pudding and topped with fresh berries. I used strawberries and blueberries, but ripe mangos, kiwi or raspberries would all be lovely too. The pastry and the filling are your base, use whatever fresh fruit your little heart desires.
Don’t let these mini tarts intimidate you. You don’t need a fancy pan, just a standard muffin tin. I used a scalloped edge biscuit cutter to get those fancy edges. You could simply use a round cutter. Use what you have! This recipe is very adaptable. You could also make this into a full-size tart by using a 9-inch tart pan. That would quite beautiful!
Creamy pies and tarts are my jam. I’ll be making this recipe, along with my gluten free vegan coconut cream pie, for Easter this year. What will you be making for you and your family? If you just so happen to give this recipe a try, this girl would love to know!
- 1 1/4 cups Sarah's gluten free flour blend
- 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill almond meal/flour
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- pinch sea salt
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter, cold
- 5-6 tablespoons ice cold water
- 1 1/2 cups So Delicious culinary full fat coconut milk, shaken
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- pinch sea salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- fresh strawberries, chopped
- fresh blueberries
- Sift together gluten free flour, almond meal, cane sugar and salt. Add cold vegan butter and using pastry cutter, blend butter into flour mixture.
- Pour in cold water and continue to blend until dough comes together. Pat into disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to use.
- To make lemon pudding, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan.
- Over medium heat, whisk in coconut milk. While stirring constantly, cook until bubbly and thick {about 5 minutes}.
- Remove pudding from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
- Pour warm pudding into glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, touching top of pudding. Refrigerate to cool completely.
- When pastry dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray standard size muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Remove pastry dough from refrigerator. Place large piece of plastic wrap on counter, Cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Using rolling pin, roll dough until 1/4-inch thick.
- Cut dough into 3-inch rounds. Place and gently press circles into prepared muffin tins. Dough will go about 1/2 way up sides. Prick bottoms with fork.
- Bake pastry shells for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin tins and place on cooling rack to cool completely.
- To assemble mini fruit tarts, fill pastry shells with chilled lemon cream pudding. Top with diced strawberries and blueberries.
- Cover will plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
These look delicious! I have never used almond meal before, is it similar in texture to cornmeal? We cannot do nuts, so I was curious if I could substitute for texture? Thanks!
I would just add an additional 2 tablespoons flour to the pastry dough. Hope that is helpful!
Hi Dear,
Very nice article, keep up the good work.