This Mini Almond Custard Tart recipe features a simple homemade almond crust topped with creamy almond custard. This is a great make-ahead summer dessert!
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Creating These Mini Custard Tarts
With all the healthy salads I’ve been eating lately, I was definitely craving a sweet treat this week.
My only problem was finding the time to make it. Madeline was sick with a cold for a couple days and needed extra snuggles on the couch.
She is in a very active stage right now where she’d rather be playing that cuddling, eating, having her hair brushed, pretty much anything that requires her to be still. So it was a nice treat for me (is it wrong to complete this sentence?) that she was feeling bad enough to slow down a for a change.
As it turned out, blueberries were on sale for 77 cents and I thought they’d go quite nicely with this mini custard tart recipe.
Originally, the recipe made just one full sized tarts, but I always think the mini versions are so much cuter.
The recipe instructions also have you put the almond custard back in the tart crust and then bake it, but I wasn’t really in the mood for that so I decided to bake the tart crust alone. Then, I cooled the crusts and spooned the chilled custard into them.
Perfect for dessert on a hot evening!
Ingredients for Almond Custard Tarts
This almond tart recipe has two components: the almond tart crust (which is made with ground almonds) and the almond custard filling (which features almond extract).
Here’s everything you’ll need to make the mini custard tart recipe:
- Unsalted butter
- Turbinado sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Ground blanched almonds
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Lemon zest
- Milk
- Heavy cream
- Almond extract
- Blueberries
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Mini Custard Tarts
This mini custard tart recipe requires some assembly, but it’s a really easy dessert to make! Here’s an overview of the baking process:
- Make the almond tart crust: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat together the crust ingredients just until a soft dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk. Refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes
- Make the almond custard filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer with the lemon zest.
- In a medium, heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and flour. Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook until very thick.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and almond extract.
- Pour the custard into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until chilled.
- Bake the crust: On a lightly floured work surface, roll the tart dough out to a 13-inch round, 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut dough into 5 – 7 inch rounds.
- Ease the rounds into five 4-inch tart pans. Bake until tarts are lightly golden and tender.
- Cool on a wire rack in the tart pans until room temperature.
- Assemble the tarts: Spread the cooled custard into the tart shells. Top each with 1/4 cup of fresh berries and serve.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the free printable card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Can This Recipe Be Made in Advance?
Yes! You can bake the almond tart crusts up to two days before you plan on serving them. And the almond custard filling can be made up to three days in advance.
Wait until you’re ready to serve the mini custard tarts to assemble them.
How to Store Mini Custard Tarts
Once assembled, you’ll need to store the almond tarts in the fridge. I recommend eating them within 48 hours because the crust becomes soggy over time.
Tools Needed for This Recipe
- Microplane zester: Makes zesting lemons and other citrus fruits so much easier!
- 4-inch tart pans: These can be used to make mini tarts, mini quiche, and more.
- Stand mixer: This recipe can be made with a hand mixer, but this is the stand mixer I use and I love it.
- Mixing bowls: Good quality mixing bowls are an underrated kitchen item. This is the set I have and they’ve held up wonderfully over the years.
Tips for Making This Custard Tart Recipe
- You’re welcome to bake this recipe in one large tart pan, if you don’t own mini tart pans. Note that the bake time for the crust may need to be increased.
- If lumps form when you add the cream and almond extract to the filling, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
- This recipe calls for ground blanched almonds, which is often labeled as “almond flour.” Almond flour is not the same as almond meal, so read the labels carefully.
More Almond Dessert Recipes:
Enjoy this Apricot Almond Cake with your morning cup of coffee, or serve as a dessert. It’s simple, but delicious!
My family loves this recipe for Molten Chocolate Lava Cake Sundaes. Lava cakes, with a center that tastes like the most delicious hot fudge, are topped with ice cream and sliced almonds for a pretty presentation.
These Almond Butter Cookies are the tastiest I’ve tried and make a great addition to your regular cooking baking. They’re the perfect alternative if you have a peanut allergy!
These Raspberry Almond Angel Food Cake Parfaits are layered with lemon curd, fresh raspberries, honey almond whipped cream, and sliced almonds.
This Almond Blueberry Lemon Curd Coffee Cake is packed with light, bright flavors. Perfect for spring and summer!
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Almond Custard Tarts
Yield: 5 four inch tarts
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Crunchy almond crusts are filled with creamy almond custard. Top with fresh fruit of your choice!
Ingredients
Tart Dough:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup ground blanched almonds
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Almond Custard:
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter with the turbinado and granulated sugars, the almonds, and the egg and beat at medium-low speed until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest and beat just until a soft dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough and flatten it into a disk. Refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes
- In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer with the lemon zest. In a medium, heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and flour. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and almond extract (if lumps form, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth). Pour the custard into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until chilled, 1-2 hours.
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the tart dough out to a 13-inch round, 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 5 - 7 inch rounds, re-rolling the scraps as necessary. Ease the rounds into 5 - 4 inch tart pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tarts are lightly golden and tender. Cool on a wire rack in the tart pans until room temperature.
- To assemble tarts (just prior to serving): Spread the cooled custard into the tart shells. Top each with 1/4 cup of fresh berries and serve.
Notes
I used blueberries, but raspberries, strawberries, or sliced peaches would pair nicely.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 695Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 455mgSodium: 284mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 3gSugar: 31gProtein: 21g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
