Berry Tartlets

Berry Tartlets


For the dough:
110g butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder


For the vanilla cream:
1 1/4 cups milk (300ml)
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
3 large egg yolks
100g sugar
30g cornstarch
45g butter


Make the dough:
1. Cream butter and icing sugar together. Add vanilla and the yolk, beat until smooth. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder, beat until combined. Put the dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. On a floured surface, roll the dough 4-5mm thick and cut off rounded shapes. Transfer them into the baking moulds. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until dark brown. Let cool completely.


Make the cream:
1. Bring the milk and vanilla bean to boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and set aside for 30 minutes. Or, if you are using vanilla extract, just bring the milk to a boil and proceed with the recipe. Bring it back to the boil and continue.
2. In a heavy saucepan, whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until thick. Whisking enthusiastically, drizzle some of the hot milk onto the yolks very slowly. Continue whisking as you pour the rest of the milk in a steady stream over the tempered yolks.
3. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisk until the mixture comes to the boil. Turn down the heat and keep the mixture at the boil, whisking constantly, for 1 or 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream into a bowl. Allow the cream to cool for about 3 minutes.
4. Stir the butter into the hot cream. Put a plastic wrap on the top of the cream and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Assembly:

Fill the dough with pastry cream and decorate with some fresh berries. You can use cherries, strawberries or any other kind. I chose different berries, even currants and gooseberries. Raspberries or blackberries would also taste good.