Easy Fruit Tarts
We call our recipe Easy Fruit Tarts because . . . they are easy to make. Delicious too. While you can spend a lot more time making your own crust dough, and cooking your own fillings from scratch, but why? One theme you have already picked up over the years from our recipes is that we like recipes which aren’t going to take you hours of prep and cooking. This recipe is no different. Using pre-made pie crusts is fast and gives you the results you need.
For the tart pans, we use muffin tins since they are deeper and hold more filling than many tart tins. For the fillings, we like to use Lemon Curd and seasonal fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or whatever we find at the market. We also will use cherry pie filling or other pie fillings, but stay with the “simple” versions without all the extra sugar and fillers. The results are individual desserts you can customize, using your favorite fruits.
These are so easy and turn out so delicious, they will impress your dinner guests. But you’ll also impress yourself. Watch it though, or you might eat too many before they make it to the table.
Yields 12-15
Ingredients:
Muffin Tin Pans or Metal Tart Tins
1 package of pre-made pie crusts (they come 2 in a box)
1 Jar Lemon Curd (We prefer and sell Tiptree Lemon Curd, since it is bit sweeter than others)
1 Pint Fresh Strawberries, sliced
1 Pint Fresh Blueberries
1 15 oz Whole Cherry Pie Filling
1 15 oz Whole Raspberry Pie Filling
Fresh Spearmint Leaves
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
Let the pie crust box sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, allowing them to come up to room temperature. (Follow the directions on the box.) Roll them out on a cutting board or pastry cloth. Cut into 4″ circles using a cookie cutter or a small bowl. Let them rest for about 5 minutes.
Lay each piece of dough in a muffin cup and mold to shape in the cup. Don’t stretch them when you mold them into the cups, or they will stretch back when you bake them. With a fork, pierce each crust on the bottom and sides a few times. You can also line each cup with a piece of parchment paper over the dough and fill the cup with uncooked rice or dried beans to keep the crusts from bubbling up.
Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. The crusts should be lightly browned. Remove and let cool.
To assemble your tarts, use your imagination. Fill the tart crusts with various fruits and pie fillings. In some we place a slice of strawberry in the bottom of some of the crusts, then fill them with Lemon Curd. Top them with strawberry slices and a fresh spearmint leaf or two. Add blueberries, raspberries or any combination. They are your creations so make them your way using your favorite fruits and fillings. We do. Have fun.