Mini Fruit Tart Recipe

Fruit tarts are one of the most beautiful things the French have given us. Precisely cut, perfectly placed pieces of fruit highlight creamy custard filling for a treat that is just as pretty as it is delicious. These tarts came into fashion with European nobility in the 1550s, according to food history blogger Joe Pastry, largely due to their lovely appearance, and the tradition of the lovely-looking tart carries on today.

If you've ever looked at a fruit tart and thought, "I want that, but smaller," look no further! Recipe developer and wellness coach Miriam Hahn has taken it upon herself to create adorable, mini versions of the fruit tart we know and love. Thanks, Miriam! "What I love about this recipe is how pretty and petite these are," says Hahn. "They are light and not overly sweet but super delicious. Also very versatile as you can use different puddings and different fruits."

Before you can begin making these mini treats, you will need to gather your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need 1 box of frozen mini phyllo pastry shells (you'll need a total of 15 shells), 1 box of lemon or vanilla instant pudding (your choice — use lemon for extra fruity and tart cups, or vanilla for a classic and simple custardy filling), 2 cups of milk (only 1 cup if using a plant-based milk), 1 small carton of strawberries (sliced), 2 to 3 kiwis (peeled and chopped), 1 small carton of raspberries, 1 small carton of blueberries, and optional lemon zest.

The first step to this recipe is taking the frozen pastry shells out of the freezer so they are thawed and ready by the time they need to be filled. This should take about 10 minutes at room temperature.

While you are waiting, you can start making the filling. To do this, combine the pudding mix and milk in a medium bowl, blending with a hand mixer or whisking by hand for 2 minutes. Keep in mind that if you are using a plant-based milk, like almond or oat, you only need 1 cup of milk. These milks are typically thinner due to their reduced fat content, so adding the full 2 cups will result in runny filling.

Once you have whisked your filling, put it aside for 5 minutes to set. While you are waiting for the filling to set, lay out the thawed pasty shells on a work surface. 

Next, fill the shells with about 2 teaspoons filling each (no need to bake the shells before you fill them — thawing them will work just fine, as they come pre-baked). Be sure you don't fill them up to the top, or else some might spill out when you put the fruit on.

Finally, it's time to decorate! Some fruits, like raspberries and blueberries, are small enough already that they are good to go. Others, like the kiwis and strawberries, will need to be chopped (if you haven't chopped them already) before they can go on the tarts. First, peel the kiwis and take the green tops off the strawberries. Next, chop them into little pieces. As a helpful suggestion, Hahn says a "tip for cutting the fruit is just make it nice and small and don't overcrowd on each tart."

Once all the fruit is prepared, arrange the pieces beautifully on top of the filled pastry shells. For an extra zing, add a pinch of lemon zest on top of each shell with the chopped fruit.

Once you've decorated your mini tarts, these babies are ready to serve! Hahn says that they "stay well if made hours in advance," so feel free to make them ahead of time.

Hahn loves these tarts for a variety of occasions, saying they are, "pretty and festive for the holidays too! They are really nice for a wedding or baby shower or a brunch. Other serving suggestions would be with coffee for an afternoon treat or [they are] perfect as a dessert for a heavy meal like lasagna or pasta."