Berry Tartlettes

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 1/4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
• 3 -5 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 -2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (8 ounce) bag berries, medley (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) or 1 (8 ounce) bag fresh berries
• mint leaf

Recipe

• 1 making the filling; scald the plain milk in the microwave or in a small saucepan (i perfer the saucepan). be sure it doesn't boil.
• 2 beat the eggs into the milk and gradually add the sugars and cornstarch. beat in the soymilk, vanilla extract, and salt.stir in the butter. continue stirring until it reaches desired thickness (about the thickness of a mousse) and remove from heat.
• 3 add the orange zest and set aside to cool. refridgerate until needed.
• 4 making the crust;position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees f.
• 5 set a muffin tin with muffin liners and set aside. in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornnmeal, vanilla extract and salt to blend. gradually add the remaining ingredients using a rubber spatula or spoon (i would recommend dipping the tool of choice in flour before proceding, as it will stick).
• 6 the dough will become sticky and resemble that of a sugar cookie dough, do not fret, this is normal.
• 7 continue stirring with your weapon of choice (be it a spatula or spoon) until all of the flour and or flour-like substances are well combined and can form a dough ball.
• 8 line each of the muffin cups with the dough (much like you would a pie, so be sure to leave enough room for the tart filling). fill the crust-lined muffin cups with pennies or pie weights to maintain a good shape (be sure to have some wax paper or parchment paper in between your pie weights/pennies and your crust.
• 9 bake at 325 for approximately 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and puffed. let cool.
• 10 once the shells are cool; fill with the pre-made refridgerated tart filling and top with berries. serve cold with a mint leaf (optional).