I saw a recipe for a raspberry/pistachio mini tart and my mind went “Boing!” It usurped everything else in Dede’s Upcoming list.

I made several modifications to the recipe. I used an alternate creme patisserie, alternate tart shell but used the same basic buttercream recipes. When I try these again (today was a test for an Independence Day party) I will try a pistachio creme chiboust. (It’s a bit lighter.)

Raspberry Pistachio Tartlets

INGREDIENTS
Pastry cream
• 2 egg yolk
• ¾ c cup whole milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ c sugar
• 4 Tbl cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Tbl butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoon pistachio oil
• 1-2 drops green food coloring
Shell
• 100 g cold butter cut into small cubes
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 60 g icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 eggs – 1 for the dough and the other 1 reserved for an egg wash
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
Buttercream
• 4 tablespoon {½ stick} unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
Garnish
• fresh raspberries
• chopped white chocolate
• chopped pistachios

METHOD

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. (You can, so why not?)
2. Add the salt, sugar and cornstarch then beat until smooth. (We use 2% milk so I add heavy cream to it.)
3. Add the butter and heat while constantly whisking until it just starts to look lumpy
4. Sieve into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
5. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
6. Mix butter with sugar
7. Add salt then vanilla
8. Add egg and mix until incorporated
9. Stir in flour. Mix by hand like you are kneading bread until incorporated
10. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 min
11. Butter tartlet pans, or use non-stick pans
12. Roll dough to about ⅛” thick
13. Lay over tart mold and press into all crevices
14. Roll top to cut off excess
15. Prick holes in bottom and sides of formed dough
16. Fill tarts with pastry weights. For mini tartlet pans I put beans in a cupcake paper. For large pans use crumpled parchment paper filled with beans. Remove 5 minutes before the end of the bake. Bake until the edges are lightly browned and the bottom is dry.
17. Paint edges of the tartlet with the egg wash.
18. Bake in preheated oven 350 deg F (175 C) for 15 min
19. Immediately remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.
20. In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter for the buttercream until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cream, and mix until a fluffy frosting forms.
21. When ready to assemble, grab the pastry cream from the fridge. Whisk until smooth and creamy, then add in the pistachio cream and mix until well incorporated and silky. Add in a drop of food coloring if desired.
22. Gently fold the buttercream into the pistachio pastry cream.
23. Pour ~1/8” of raspberry jam to cover the bottom of the tart shell
24. Pipe the cream evenly among the prepared tartlets, smooth the top then refrigerate at least 2-3 hrs but optimally overnight.
25. Just before serving, top tarts with raspberries, white chocolate, and pistachios. Serve chilled!