Mini blackberry tartlets with lemon cream

Ingredients

• 250 g All-purpose flour (Sift before use)
• 80 g Powdered sugar
• 50 g Almond powder (Adds tenderness to the dough)
• 1 pinch Salt
• 125 g Cold unsalted butter (Cut into small cubes, keep chilled)
• 1 piece Egg (At room temperature)
• 1 tsp Lemon zest (optional) (To flavor the dough)
• 100 g Granulated sugar
• 50 g Cornstarch (Maïzena)
• 4 pieces Egg yolks (At room temperature)
• 100 ml Lime juice (Fresh, unprocessed)
• 1 tsp Lime zest
• 100 ml Water
• 30 g Butter (for finishing the cream) (Cut into small cubes, add off the heat)
• 200 g Fresh blackberries (Wash, drain)

Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet shortcrust pastry

   In the bowl of the processor, place the almond powder, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar (or lemon zest) and the pinch of salt. Mix 5 seconds on speed 5. Add the cold butter cubes and rub in 30 seconds on speed 5 until a sandy texture forms. Incorporate the egg and mix 10 seconds on speed 4 until the dough comes together. Form a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate 30 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

2. Roll out and cut the dough

   On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 3 mm. Use a 5 cm round cutter to cut circles. Place each circle upside‑down in a mini‑tartlet mold or paper liner, pressing lightly to form the base.

   Time: PT10M

3. Bake the tart shells

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake the tart shells 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: 180°C

4. Prepare the lemon cream

   Grate the lime zest and place it in a bowl. In a saucepan, combine lime juice, water and cornstarch. Heat over low heat, stirring until thickened (about 3 minutes). Let cool. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with granulated sugar until pale. Incorporate the cooled lime‑cornstarch mixture, then return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat 4‑5 minutes until a creamy consistency is reached. Remove from heat, add the butter cubes and stir until dissolved. Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with cling film touching the surface and let cool completely.

   Time: PT20M

5. Fill the tartlets

   Once the cream is well chilled, transfer it to a pastry bag. Fill each tart shell with lemon cream. Arrange fresh blackberries on top. Refrigerate 30 minutes so the cream sets slightly.

   Time: PT5M

6. Final rest and serving

   Leave the tartlets chilled for 30 minutes before serving. They are enjoyed fresh, accompanied by tea or coffee.

   Time: PT30M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

120

Protein

2 g

Carbohydrates

18 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Granulated sugar blended
• Instead of Almond powder: Homemade almond flour
• Instead of Cold unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine (for lactose‑free version)
• Instead of Egg: Flax egg + water (for vegetarian version)
• Instead of Lemon zest (optional): Orange zest
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): Potato starch
• Instead of Egg yolks: Pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Lime juice: Lemon juice
• Instead of Lime zest: Lemon zest
• Instead of Butter (for finishing the cream): Margarine
• Instead of Fresh blackberries: Raspberries, blueberries

Equipment Needed

• Thermomix or stand mixer
• Kitchen scale
• Rolling pin
• Round cookie cutter (≈ 5 cm)
• Mini tartlet molds or paper liners
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Pastry bag (or zip‑top plastic bag) (optional)
• Cooling rack (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Rubbing the butter with the dry ingredients to obtain a sandy texture.
• Do not over‑work the dough after adding the egg.
• Roll the dough very thin (≈3 mm) so it does not puff excessively during baking.
• Bake the tart shells at 180 °C without opening the oven during the first minutes.
• Cook the lemon cream without boiling to avoid coagulation.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold butter and cut it into small cubes for optimal rubbing.
• Place the tart shells on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
• For a glossy finish, lightly brush the cooled tartlets with a drizzle of warmed apricot jam.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: Not recommended, the texture of the crust and cream deteriorates.

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours of serving.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The dough can be prepared the day before and kept chilled.
• The lemon cream keeps in the refrigerator for 24 h; whisk lightly before filling.
• Baked tart shells can be frozen for 1 month and thawed before assembly.