How to Make Tarts Like a Pro with These Easy Recipes

Tarts are delicious pastries with various ingredients, such as fruit, custard, cheese, or chocolate. They are usually baked in a shallow pan with a removable bottom and flaky crust. Tarts can be enjoyed as a dessert or a snack, and they are easy to make at home with some basic ingredients and equipment. In this article, I will show you how to make five different types of tarts: Yorkshire curd tart , Kueh tart , jelly tart , cranberry curd tart , and marshmallow tart . Let’s get started!

Yorkshire Curd Tart

Yorkshire curd tart is a traditional English tart that originated in the county of Yorkshire. Yorkshire curd tart is made with fresh curd cheese, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, and lemon zest and baked in a short-crust pastry shell. Yorkshire curd tart has a creamy and tangy filling that contrasts with the crisp crust. Yorkshire curd tart is often served with cream or jam.

Ingredients

• 250 g (9 oz) plain flour
• 125 g (4.5 oz) butter
• A pinch of salt
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• 500 g (18 oz) fresh curd cheese
• 100 g (3.5 oz) caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F (320°F fan). Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add enough water to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. To make the filling, whisk the curd cheese, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, and lemon zest in a large bowl until well combined.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Line the prepared tart pan with the pastry and trim the excess. Prick the base and sides of the pastry with a fork.
5. Pour the filling into the pastry shell and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and set.
6. Let the tart cool slightly in the pan before removing it. Cut into slices and serve warm or cold with cream or jam if desired.

Kueh Tart

Kueh tart is a popular Indonesian and Malaysian tart often made during festivals such as Eid al-Fitr or Chinese New Year. Kueh tart is made with a buttery pastry shell and filled with pineapple jam. The jam is usually homemade by cooking grated pineapple, sugar, and spices until thick and caramelized. The Kueh tart has a sweet and fruity flavour and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Ingredients

• 250 g (9 oz) butter
• 50 g (1.8 oz) icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 375 g (13 oz) plain flour
• A pinch of salt
• 500 g (18 oz) pineapple jam (you can use store-bought or make your own by following this [recipe])

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan) or 340°F (300°F fan). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. To make the pastry, beat the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add one egg yolk and beat well.
3. Sift the flour and salt into the butter mixture and mix well to form a soft dough. Refrain from overmixing or kneading the dough, as it will make the pastry tough.
4. Divide the dough into small balls of about 10 g (0.4 oz) each. Flatten each ball slightly and place it on the prepared baking trays, leaving some space between them.
5. Make an indentation in the centre of each pastry with your thumb or a small spoon. Fill each indentation with about 1/2 tsp of pineapple jam.
6. Beat the remaining egg yolk with a little water and brush it over the edges of the pastries.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Transfer the tarts to a wire rack to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.

Jelly Tart

Jelly tart is a simple and fun tart that can be made with any flavour of jelly (or gelatin). Jelly tart is made with a pie crust filled with jelly dissolved in hot water and chilled until set. Jelly tart is often decorated with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or sprinkles. Jelly tart is a colourful and refreshing dessert that kids and adults alike will love.

Ingredients

• 1 ready-made pie crust (you can use store-bought or make your own by following this [recipe])
• 1 packet of jelly (or gelatin) powder (about 85 g or 3 oz) in your preferred flavour
• 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
• 250 ml (1 cup) cold water
• Whipped cream, fresh fruit, or sprinkles for decoration (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) or 375°F (350°F fan). Prick the pie crust with a fork and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
2. To make the jelly, pour the jelly powder into a large bowl and add the boiling water. Stir well until the powder dissolves completely. Add the cold water and stir again. Refrigerate the jelly mixture for about an hour or until slightly thickened but not set.
3. Pour the jelly mixture over the pie crust and spread it evenly. Refrigerate the tart for 3 to 4 hours or until the jelly is firm.
4. Decorate the tart with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or sprinkles if desired. Cut into slices and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Cranberry Curd Tart

Cranberry curd tart is a festive and elegant tart perfect for the holiday season. Cranberry curd tart is made with a sweet pastry shell and filled with a smooth and tangy cranberry curd. The cranberry curd is made by cooking fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, lemon juice, butter, and eggs until thick and glossy. The Cranberry curd tart has a vibrant red colour and a balanced sweet and sour flavour.

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz) plain flour
• 100 g (3.5 oz) butter
• 50 g (1.8 oz) icing sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• 300 g (10.5 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 150 g (5.3 oz) caster sugar
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) lemon juice
• 4 eggs
• 100 g (3.5 oz) butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F (320°F fan). Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. To make the pastry, sift the flour, icing sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough water to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. To make the cranberry curd, combine the cranberries, caster sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the cranberries are soft and burst.
4. Transfer the cranberry mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing down on the solids to extract as much juice as possible.
5. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and gradually whisk them into the cranberry puree over low heat. Add the butter and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes or until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Line the prepared tart pan with the pastry and trim the excess. Prick the base and sides of the pastry with a fork.
7. Pour the cranberry curd into the pastry shell and spread it evenly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the curd is set.
8. Let the tart cool completely in the pan before removing it. Cut into slices and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Marshmallow Tart

Marshmallow tart is a decadent and indulgent tart that will satisfy your sweet tooth. Marshmallow tart is made with a chocolate cookie crust and filled with fluffy marshmallow cream. The marshmallow cream is made by beating fluff, cream cheese, whipped cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and airy. The Marshmallow tart is topped with mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings for extra sweetness and texture.

Ingredients

• 250 g (9 oz) chocolate cookies (such as Oreos)
• 100 g (3.5 oz) butter
• 200 g (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
• 200 g (7 oz) cream cheese
• 250 ml (1 cup) whipped cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings for decoration (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F (320°F fan). Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. To make the crust, crush the chocolate cookies in a food processor or a ziplock bag with a rolling pin until fine crumbs form. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or microwave. Stir the butter into the cookie crumbs until well combined.
3. Press the cookie mixture firmly onto the bottom and sides of the prepared tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until set. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To make the filling, beat the marshmallow fluff and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the whipped cream and vanilla extract and beat until well incorporated and fluffy.
5. Spoon the filling over the crust and spread it evenly. Sprinkle some mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings over the top if desired.
6. Refrigerate the tart for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm.
7. Cut into slices and serve chilled or at room temperature.