Strawberry Honey Custard Tarts (Printer-friendly)
Buttery shells filled with honey custard, lemon curd, and fresh strawberries for an elegant summer dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Tart Shells
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1-2 tbsp cold water
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Honey Custard
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/4 cup honey
10 - 3 large egg yolks
11 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Lemon Curd
14 - 2 large eggs
15 - 2 large egg yolks
16 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
17 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
18 - 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
19 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
→ Assembly
20 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
21 - Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water; pulse until dough begins to come together, adding more water if necessary. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out chilled dough and press into six 4-inch tart pans. Prick bottoms with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake 8-10 minutes longer until golden brown. Cool completely in pans.
03 - Combine milk, heavy cream, and honey in a saucepan. Heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolks, then return entire mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (3-4 minutes). Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching surface, and cool to room temperature.
04 - Whisk eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until thickened (5-7 minutes). Do not let mixture boil. Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth. Pour into bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching surface, and refrigerate until set.
05 - Spoon chilled honey custard into cooled tart shells, smoothing tops. Spread layer of lemon curd over custard. Arrange fresh strawberry slices on top. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve chilled or refrigerate until ready to serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The honey custard adds this incredible floral sweetness that balances the tart lemon curd perfectly
- These tarts look impressive but are actually quite forgiving to make, even if you are new to pastry
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are essential for smooth custard and curd, so take everything out at least 30 minutes before you start
- The plastic wrap trick prevents a skin from forming on your custard and curd while they cool
03 -
- If your tart shells puff up while baking, gently press them back into shape while they are still warm
- Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith