This post has been sponsored by Plugrá® Butter. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Buttery, sweet, and incredibly tender, this simple recipe for a sweet-tart shell will complement the filling and topping of your choice! In this case, I’m using my beloved Plugrá® Butter that I purchased from my local Safeway as the hero ingredient for my tart base, which is then filled with a whipped honey mascarpone cream and covered in fresh passionfruit for a burst of flavor and brightness!
Make sure to check on your Safeway app for some incredible coupons and deals, then make your way on over to my favorite section of the app… which is of course the butter section! You can get your own blocks of Plugrá Butter by heading on over to your local Safeway – I’ve included a discount link below so that you can enjoy baking with Plugrá Butter during your own kitchen adventures this month!
I’ve been using Plugrá in the food industry as well as within my own kitchen for years now and I absolutely adore their product. Regular butter is 80% butterfat and higher in moisture, while Plugrá® is 82% butterfat and lower in moisture. This allows for flakier pie crusts, crispier cookies, and more flavorful sauces. The ultimate dream result when you’re creating a baked good such as this!
TIPS FOR FORMING MINI TART SHELLS
Lightly dust the table you’ll be working on, and using a rolling pin, gently roll out your dough. As you roll, make sure it does not start sticking to the surface you are working on. Once your dough is rolled to the desired thickness (I prefer 1/4 inch), press gently into the creases and bottom of your tart pan. Poke the bottom of the tart LIBERALLY with a fork, and place in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes. This is essential – your tart shells are less likely to shrink while baking if you take the time to freeze your shells.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS WHEN MAKING MINI TARTS
DO NOT OVERMIX
Over-mixing this dough will cause your tart shells to shrink. Halfway through baking, you may look into the oven and see the shells pulling away from the edges. All your hard work, spoiled by over mixing and developing too much gluten. Over-kneading the dough will develop too much gluten. Make sure to keep an eye on your dough when mixing to avoid this problem.
REST THE DOUGH
Perhaps you have overworked the dough just a touch. Never fear, just know that it’s incredibly important to rest the tart dough. Resting the dough ensures that it has a moment to relax after so much gluten development has occurred during the mixing process. This gives it time to rest before the rolling/forming steps.
FREEZE BEFORE BAKING
Once forming your tart shells, make sure to pop them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. This is essential – tart shells are much less likely to shrink while baking if you take the time to freeze them.
STORING SWEET TART SHELLS
Want to take on the task of making tart shells but don’t know what to bake yet? Never fear! Once you’ve formed your tart shells, or fully baked them, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and throw them in the freezer! They will last up to two months in the freezer, allowing you to pull them out and fill or bake at your leisure.
Passionfruit Tarts with Whipped Honey Mascarpone
Ingredients
MINI TART SHELLS
- 3/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp (170.7 g) Unsalted Plugrá® Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste, or vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 1/4 Cups (150 g) Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 Cups (50 g) Almond Flour
- 3/4 Cup (100 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Eggs, room temperature
- 2 1/4 Cups (291 g) Bread Flour
WHIPPED MASCARPONE & PASSIONFRUIT
- 6 Passionfruit
- 1/2 cup (112 g) Mascarpone Cheese , room temperature
- 3 to 4 cups (400 g) Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup (119 g) Heavy Whipping Cream, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Honey
- 2 Limes, zested
Instructions
Mini Tart Shell
- In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, start by mixing sugar, butter, vanilla paste, salt, almond and all-purpose flour, mixing until combined. Take a moment to scrape the mixing bowl
- Add room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing between additions
- Add bread flour, making sure to not overmix
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap – then place in the fridge to chill before using for at least one hour.
- I tend to make my tart dough ahead of time so I throw it in the fridge until the next day. If using this method, remove your dough from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to roll it out – you’ll find that it will be MUCH easier to work with!
- Once your dough is rolled to the desired thickness, press gently into the bottom of your mini tart pans, poking the bottom of the tart LIBERALLY with a fork, and place in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes. This is essential – your tart shells are less likely to shrink while baking if you take the time to freeze your shells.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line the shell with parchment paper and baking rice/beans/pie weights to further prevent the dough from puffing up
- Bake until edges become ever so slightly browned – this should take about 20-25 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Whipped Honey Mascarpone Filling
- Place the mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and start beating on medium speed.
- While beating, add the vanilla extract, lime zest and honey – then slowly start to add half of your powdered sugar. Scrape the side of your bowl and continue beating.
- With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the whipping cream until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 1-3 minutes. Add your remaining powdered sugar until you’ve reached the consistency of your preference.
ASSEMBLY
- Spoon about a 1/4 cup of filling into cooled tart shells and top with a tablespoon of passionfruit before serving!
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