These Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts are made with a creamy condensed milk custard, buttery pastry, and fresh garden raspberries. An easy summer dessert.
Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts
Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts
Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts are one of those beautiful summer desserts that look bakery-worthy but are surprisingly simple to make at home. A buttery pastry shell is filled with a silky homemade custard, baked until lightly golden, then topped with freshly picked raspberries and a cloud of whipped cream.
What makes these little tarts especially practical is that they’re baked in Mason jar lids or mini tart pans, making them inexpensive to prepare for gatherings, afternoon tea, bridal showers, birthdays, or summer entertaining. During raspberry season, they’re one of my favorite ways to showcase berries picked straight from the garden while letting their bright flavor remain the star of the dessert.
From My Garden
Every summer my raspberry bushes become one of the busiest corners of the garden. There’s something especially satisfying about gathering sun-warmed berries in the morning, then turning them into dessert the very same day. These little custard tarts celebrate that brief harvest season when fresh raspberries are at their sweetest and require very little embellishment beyond a silky custard and freshly whipped cream.
Ingredients You’ll Need
There are 3 easy steps to make these fresh raspberry mini custard tarts. Let’s get started.
For the buttery pastry – Simple pantry ingredients create a tender homemade crust that holds the creamy custard beautifully.
- cold butter
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- salt
- egg
- cold water
For the quick custard filling – This shortcut custard comes together in minutes thanks to sweetened condensed milk.
- eggs
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Vanilla or other extract
For topping – Fresh toppings keep these tarts light and seasonal.
- fresh raspberries
- whipping cream
- Powdered Sugar
Tools You’ll Need
- Tart pans or mason jar lids – Mini tart pans work beautifully, but mason jar lids are a clever alternative that create perfectly sized individual tarts and make removal after baking surprisingly easy.
- 4-inch biscuit cutter, making for the perfect cut to fit the lids.
- Measuring Tools – Accurate measuring cups and spoons help keep both the crust and custard perfectly balanced.
- Mixing Bowl – Used for bringing together the crust dough and mixing the custard filling.
- Mixer – A hand mixer or stand mixer makes quick work of blending the custard and whipping the cream until light and smooth.
- Food Processor – Helpful for cutting the butter into the flour when making the crust, creating an evenly textured dough with minimal effort.
- Rolling Pin – Used to roll the pie dough to an even thickness before shaping it into the tart pans or jar lids.
- Baking Sheet – Provides a stable surface for baking the mini tarts and makes transferring them in and out of the oven easy.
How to Make Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts
Make the pastry – Pulse the butter, flour, sugar, and salt until crumbly. Add the egg and just enough cold water until the dough comes together.
Roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thick and cut circles using a biscuit cutter.
Prepare the tart shells – Press the pastry into Mason jar lids or mini tart pans.
Crimp the edges and prick the bottoms with a fork.
Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Mix the custard – Whisk together:
- eggs
- sweetened condensed milk
- vanilla
Whisk until smooth and creamy.
Fill and bake – Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Pour the custard into each prepared tart shell.
Bake for 20–30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the custard is just set.
Cool completely.
Decorate – Whip the cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
Top each cooled tart with:
- fresh raspberries
- whipped cream
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Tart Crust Options
Whether you use my recipe for an easy pastry crust, buy puff pastry to roll out thin, or take a shortcut using phyllo dough, they all work beautifully for this quick custard tart recipe.
My tart crust is simply butter, flour, a pinch of sugar and an egg, always an egg to bind the crust together while working with it and baking it. Affordable and fast, you will love the end results in both your tart shells and your wallet.
Growing Raspberries
Having just started to grow my own raspberries, I have a new appreciation for them. It took two years for my plants to produce fruit and they needed to be controlled. Otherwise they would have meandered across the lawn.
So, a homemade trellis was the perfect way to provide an easy to grow and easy to pick, raspberry garden.
Lots More Homemade Mini Tart Recipes
Once I discovered how easy it is to make tarts, I went overboard creating lots of recipes. I’m not sure if it’s because the technique is so easy to make desserts fast, or they look so beautiful, that I just have no ceiling on how many I will create.
- Strawberry Tarts, made with coconut milk custard and orange blossom.
- Blueberry Orange Blossom Tarts are also an easy fresh fruit to use on top of a quick custard tart.
- Grandma’s Bourbon Pecan Tart, baked in a cookie-like crust.
- Grandma’s Bourbon Pecan Tart, baked in a cookie-like crust.
- Lemon Tarts, made with a splash of Limoncello.
Frequently Asked Question About These Fresh Raspberry Tarts
Can I use frozen raspberries? Fresh raspberries are best for appearance and texture. Frozen berries tend to release excess moisture as they thaw.
Can I make these ahead? Yes. Bake the tarts one day ahead and refrigerate. Add whipped cream and raspberries just before serving.
Can I use store-bought pie crust? Absolutely. Refrigerated or frozen pie dough makes this recipe even quicker.
Can I use puff pastry? Yes. Puff pastry creates a lighter, flakier shell while still pairing beautifully with the custard.
Why use sweetened condensed milk? It creates a rich, creamy custard without requiring a stovetop or complicated tempering process.
Tips for Success In Making These Mini Tarts
Use cold butter – Cold butter creates flaky pastry layers.
Don’t overfill – Leave a little room for the custard to puff slightly while baking.
Cool before decorating – Adding whipped cream while the tarts are still warm will cause it to melt.
Pick ripe raspberries – Fresh, fully ripe berries provide the best flavor with very little added sweetness.
Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts (Easy Summer Dessert)
Equipment
- Mason jar lids, or mini tart pans
- Rolling Pin
- 4-inch Biscuit or cookie cutter
Ingredients
- Pastry Ingredients
- 8 tbsp Butter cold
- 1 3/4 cup Flour extra for dusting
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1/8 cup Water cold
- Quick Custard Ingredients
- 3 Eggs
- 14 oz Sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Topping
- 1 cup Whipping Cream
- 2 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 2 cups Fresh Raspberries
Instructions
- Pie Crust – In a food processor or blender, place the cold butter, sugar, salt and flour. Pulse a few time to make the flour look crumbled. Whisk 1 egg and slowly pour into the flour mixture and blend, adding a few spoons of cold water until the pastry comes together into a soft ball. This step can also be done by hand in a medium bowl, using a fork to press the dough into a firm ball.
- When the dough is no longer sticky, transfer to a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough out with a rolling pin to about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Using a round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out rounds to fit into removable bottom mini tart tins or Mason Jar lids. Continue gathering excess dough to roll it out and continue to press dough to fill each tart pan. If choosing to use puff pastry instead of making the pastry here, you will need to roll and press the same as with this recipe.
- Shape the dough into each tart pan, pressing the dough on the bottom and up the sides. Finish by crimping the top edges of the pastry and with a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the tart shell. Set these on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 325
- Creamy Custard – In a large bowl, with an electric mixer or wire whisk, whisk the eggs, sweetened condensed milk and extract until light and creamy. Carefully pour mixture into each prepared pastry.
- Bake until the crust is golden and the top of the custard is firm, about 20-30 minutes.
- Topping – While the tarts bake, whip the cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
- When the custard tarts are baked and cool, arrange the fresh berries on top of the tarts, place a dollop of whipped cream on top and serve.
If you make these Fresh Raspberry Mini Custard Tarts, I’d love to hear how they turned out. Did you bake them in Mason jar lids, mini tart pans, or try puff pastry instead? Leave a comment below, rate the recipe, and share your favorite way to enjoy fresh summer raspberries. If you post them on Pinterest or social media, be sure to tag Whisk and Dine so I can see your beautiful creations.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
Reblogged this on mamabatesmotel.
Miss Pea!! Of course, I’m loving this. I can pick them up w/my weetle hands. One in both! xo
xoxoxoxo
These little tarts are pure perfection!
Thanks!!
Such a cute little dessert! Loving all those raspberries!
Thanks!!
These are so pretty! Love the individual serving!
Yesss! This is perfect for any occassion! Yum!
Thanks!