Mini Tarts with Custard

Name: Mini Tarts with Custard
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 4 cups; Sugar 0.875 cup; Butter at room temperature ¾ cup; Eggs 3.9 oz; Baking powder ½ tsp; Lemon peel 1; Fine salt 1 pinch; Whole milk 2.1 cups; Sugar ½ cup; Egg yolks (about 5) 7 tbsp; Cornstarch 5 ½ tbsp; Lemon peel 1; Powdered sugar to taste

it de es fr br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low
Note + the resting time for the pastry in the fridge (at least 20 min.)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Elena Laudicina

Le crostatine alla crema, those famous custard tart recipes from Italy, are like little bites of heaven. Really good stuff. They hail from Northern and Central Italian traditions—bringing a touch of home with every bite. And the pasta frolla crust? Super tasty—crisp and buttery. And the filling? Creamy with a hint of lemon. Seriously good.

So here's the thing: the lemon in the pastry cream gives it this fresh and sweet vibe, perfect for any time of year. Families in Italy often make these treats together, cutting stars or hearts for the tops. It's a whole thing. Every egg custard tart looks—and tastes—like a dream. These homemade custard tarts are a hit at gatherings, holidays, or whenever you need something comforting. That golden crust with the smooth custard? Disappears quick. For sure.

Looking for a snack with tea? Or dessert? Le crostatine alla crema fit the bill. Pretty much. Italians love sticking to tradition, but hey, you can twist it up a bit. Maybe throw in some orange zest or fresh berries. Also, no fancy skills needed here. And just good ingredients and a bit of patience. The beauty of this custard tart recipe is in its simplicity. And look, making these is a blast for everyone, especially the kids—they’ll love messing with dough or filling shells with the velvety custard.

Unlike heavier sweets, a traditional custard tart like this stays light and moist, calling people back for more. If you're into the classic baked custard tart, this Italian spin is way, way better—balanced and charming. No question. Personalize them however you like, but these mini tarts will always bring a slice of Italy—and smiles—to any table. Enjoying these tarts is just pure pleasure, a nod to the elegance and simplicity of Italian home baking.

INGREDIENTS

for the shortcrust pastry (for 8 mini tarts): Type 00 flour 4 cups (550 g); Sugar 0.875 cup (175 g); Butter ¾ cup (175 g) - at room temperature; Eggs 3.9 oz (110 g); Baking powder ½ tsp; Lemon peel 1; Fine salt 1 pinch

for the custard: Whole milk 2.1 cups (500 g); Sugar ½ cup (100 g); Egg yolks 7 tbsp (100 g) - (about 5); Cornstarch 5 ½ tbsp (45 g); Lemon peel 1

for garnish: Powdered sugar to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Mini Tarts with Custard

To prepare the mini custard tarts, start with the shortcrust pastry: place the flour, sugar 1, a pinch of salt, and room temperature butter cut into pieces 2 in a bowl. Also, add the baking powder 3.

Work the dough with your hands until you get a sandy mixture 4. At this point, add the eggs 5 and flavor with the grated zest of one lemon 6.

Knead by hand until you get a compact and homogeneous dough ball 7. Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap 8 and place it in the fridge to rest for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the custard: pour the milk into a saucepan with the lemon zest 9.

Bring the milk just to the boil 10. Meanwhile, place the yolks in a bowl along with the sugar 11 and mix the mixture with a whisk 12.

Also add the cornstarch 13 and incorporate it with the whisk until you obtain a smooth mixture without lumps 14. As soon as the milk starts to boil, remove the lemon zest 15.

Pour the hot milk slowly into the yolk mixture 16, stirring continuously 17. Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan and turn on the low heat 18.

Cook over a gentle heat, stirring continuously 19 until the custard thickens 20. Transfer it into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap in contact, and let it cool first at room temperature and then in the fridge 21.

After the resting time, roll out the pastry with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/8-3/16 inches, using all-purpose flour to dust the work surface 22. Take tart molds of 4-5 inches and cut pastry discs slightly larger in diameter 23 so they can cover both the base and the edges well 34.

Press the pastry well into the mold, then roll the rolling pin over the edge to remove excess pastry 25. Prick the bottom with a fork 26. Now roll out the leftover pastry, always to a thickness of 1/8-3/16 inches, and with a pastry wheel, cut strips about 1/5 inches wide to make the lattice 27. If the molds are non-stick, there will be no need to butter them.

Fill the pastry with the custard 28 29. Place 6 strips on each mini tart, positioning them first in one direction and then the other to create the lattice 30. Make all the mini custard tarts this way; with these quantities, you will get 8.

Place the mini tarts on a baking tray 31 and bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for about 35 minutes. When they are golden brown, take them out of the oven 32 and let them cool, then remove them from the mold. Finally, dust with powdered sugar. Your mini custard tarts are ready to be enjoyed 33!