Thursday, April 21, 2011

Fresh Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream tarts & Happy Easter!

I am so glad that this is a short week. For this, it means longer weekend and more rest and quality time with family. Yippee! Although we didn't have much planned up for this Easter holiday weekend, but my little ones are sure looking forward to it...pronto! Why? That's because my hubby and I had promised them an Easter Egg hunt at home! Sounds like fun isn't it...well, at least for the kids. :) But before I show you folks what I have install for my kids, lets first get on to today's recipe: Fresh Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream Tarts. Sorry if you were expecting some Easter bake from me. :P Maybe next year?
I got this wonderful recipe from none other then Carol 自在生活. This is such a wonderful sweet treat! Refreshing strawberries, nice creamy perfectly sweeten vanilla custard cream and a light flaky pastry crust that didn't turned soft the following day. That's important right? It's a big deal for me!


The pastry not turning soft means I can make a day ahead and it still taste heavenly when served. Sweet! The trick? Read on for the recipe, roughly translated:
Recipe for Fresh Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream Tarts: (makes about 16)
Vanilla Custard Cream:
a: 300ml fresh milk, 1/2 vanilla pod
b: 3 egg yolks, 60g caster sugar, 30g cake flour

Method:
  • In a small mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and caster sugar and mix well. Add in the cake flour and mix till everything comes together into a thick creamy consistency.
  • Pour the milk into a heat proof sauce pan and add in the vanilla seeds that has been scraped out from the pod.
  • Place sauce pan over medium low heat and stir constantly and keep watch not to over boil. Once there's tiny bubbles appearing on the edges, remove from heat.
  • Slowly and carefully add the heated milk into the egg yolk mixture and stirring constantly at the same time. When all the milk has been added in, whisk well and strain the mixture through a fine sieve back into the sauce pan.
  • Place the sauce pan over medium low heat again and stirring constantly and be watchful not to over cook it. Once the mixture thickens and reaches ribbon stage, remove from heat. If over heated, the mixture will turn clumpy and not smooth...not good eats. :P
  • Vanilla Custard Cream
  • Pour the mixture into a clean bowl and cover it (in contact with the surface) with plastic wrap to prevent the "skin" from forming. Set aside or chill until when needed.
Sweet pastry dough:
130g cake flour, 60g cold unsalted butter, cut small, 50g confectioner's sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1/8 tsp salt


Method:


  • In a large mixing bowl, add in the cake flour, powder sugar and salt. then using only your finger tips, work the cold butter into the flour mixture. Alternatively, use a mixer to combine the ingredients till it resembles bread crumbs.
  • Next add in the egg yolks and gently work the dough but not over kneading it. Over kneading the dough will make it hard and not flaky.
  • Chill the dough in plastic wrap for at least 30 mins till ready to be used.
  • Grease the mini tart tins. After chilled, take out the dough and divide the dough into 10 equal portions, about 25g each.
  • Preheat the oven to 170C.
  • Roll out each dough portion into a circular disc about the size of the tart tins. Then use your fingers to gently press in the pastry dough to shape it nicely to the tin shape.
  • Prick each of the dough base with tooth-pick or fork to prevent the dough from puffing up while baking. Repeat till all the pastry doughs has been shaped into the tins.
  • Bake the pastry tarts in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160C and bake for another 3-5minutes.
  • Remove the pastry from oven and let cool completely. In the meantime, melt the semisweet chocolate and let cool for 10 minutes before using.
  • Brush the cooled chocolate to the base of the pastry tarts so as to prevent the tarts from turning soft when it is topped with the custard later. (That's the trick folks!)
  • Chill the chocolate base coated tarts in the fridge till the chocolate set. Then take them out to assemble the topping. Note that all the above steps can be done days ahead and chill in the an airtight container up to a day or 2.
  • Scoop or pipe about 1.5 to 2 tbsp of the vanilla custard cream into the cavity of the tarts. Then top with sliced fresh strawberries. Glaze the strawberries with warm jam to finish it off.
The final product. Chill it for another 2 hrs before serving.
These tarts were very well received. In fact I will be making it again next week for the family, I'm very sure my kiddos will favor that idea. :) Thanks again to Carol for this great recipe. :) Please head over to her website for more step by step detail recipe.
This recipe is quite versatile, you can top it with any fruits you like. Meaning you can substitute strawberries with seedless grapes, kiwi, mango and even blueberries and raspberries! Yum! Try it, you'll love it. :)
Back to Easter Day fun. Check out the little eggs I've prep for my kids!


I've stuffed them with chocolates, candies, toy rings, dollar coins and even coupons for game time and hugs, heehee! I bet my kids are gonna have so much fun scavenging for them in the house tomorrow. Nothing grand but pure kids fun...hope it'll give them fond memories in the future. :) So what have you planned up for this holiday? Easter dinner feast or a mini get away?

So before I sign off, I hope everyone has a nice relaxing long weekend and Happy Easter to All!

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Thes look gorgeous! x

ReeseKitchen said...

So nice of the Easter treat for the little ones...I want to join the hunt..haha! We did not have any plan for Cheryl, anyway its not a practice in Malaysia..you know larr..;p But this Sunday will be going back Seremban then back home for shopping!!
Btw, I like the tarts! Very Beautiful..:D

Shaz (feedingmykidsbetter) said...

The custard looks luscious. Yummy :) happy Easter to you and your family.

CaThY said...

I love your tarts, simply inviting! I'm sure your kids had fun checking out those eggs :)

My Little Space said...

These are such mouthwatering treat! I can wallop a few of them! haha... Happy Easter day to you & your family.
Blessings, Kristy

ICook4Fun said...

Happy Easter to you and your family Bee Bee. It is nice you still follows the egg hunting tradition from here for the kids :) Beautiful tarts by the way.

lena said...

hi bee bee, no plans for me, not celebrating easter and now just doing some blogging and watch tv later on! ah, now i know the tips to avoid the tarts from turning soft! have a happy easter with your family!

ann low said...

A perfect dessert for the Easter holiday.
Happy Easter to your and your family, Bee :)

The Sweetylicious said...

WOW! you read mind? i was looking for tricks and custard cream for peach tart to prepare it a day ahead. shall try it. hopefully it'll be as good as yours (: yours not only look lovely, but delicious!
happy easter (:

Umm Mymoonah said...

Luscious strawberry tart, looks so mouthwatering. A perfect treat for celebration.

Honey Bee Sweets said...

@How To be Petect: thanks! :)

@Reese: Actually you can! Just buy these plastic eggs, from the hobby store in Curve, then stuff them with goodies. The best part is you can reuse them every year. But your steam boat dinner looked fantastic too. :) Happy Good Friday!

Thanks shaz and welcome to my blog! Happy Easter to you and your family too!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks Cathy! Actually we had to posone the egg hunt to tonight and we're gonna do it in my in-laws' house, much bigger, harder to find those mini eggs, lol!

Thanks Kristy! You are right on, I walloped a good few at one go too, lol! Happy Easter to you too!

Thanks Gert, and Happy Easter to you and your family. You know I got these egg shells from walmart while I was back in CA. So cheap, only USD$1.99 for 24. Actually it was my elder child asking for it, she did it while we were back in CA for 2 years and she had great memories with it, that's why.

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks for dropping by Lena. You know what, watchin tv and blogging is my favorite past time too, heehee! Hope this new technique n the tart shell work well for you too, have fun!

Thanks Ann, happy Easter to you and your family too!

Heehee, you are right Jasmine! I knew that you needed this recipe, that's why I quickly post it up for your benefit, heehee! Anyways, have fun trying out this new method, it's and it's yummier too, with coated chocolate inside. happy good Friday!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks Umm Mymoonah. Wlcome to my food blog and thanks for the supporting comment! :) hope to see you around here again. Cheers!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

Lovely tarts and sound good to serve in a party, I must remember to make this in the future party. Happy Easter !

Jean said...

looks so beautiful with the strawberry slices sitting neatly on top of the custard!

Angie's Recipes said...

Love those tartlets! Very pretty and cute.

Olivia said...

so beautifull...you have me seriously craving for a piece of this tart....Happy Easter

Edith said...

Bee, check this out. http://preciousmoments66.blogspot.com/2011/04/easter-party.html

PapaCheong's 拿手好菜 said...

Very Nice Creation you got!

Papacheong
http://home-cook-dishes-for-family.blogspot.com/

Quay Po Cooks said...

What a nice treat for the kids. Mouth-watering tarts, very nicely decorated.