MINI CRANBERRY TARTS WITH ITALIAN PASTA FROLLA CRUST

Celebrate autumn with these charming mini tarts featuring a crisp, crumbly Italian pasta frolla crust and a tangy, spiced cranberry sauce. Perfectly balanced with orange zest and warm spices, these tarts make a delightful treat served warm or at room temperature.

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🕒 Prep Time: 1 hour + chilling

🍳 Bake Time: 20 min
🍰 Yield: 10 mini tarts (8.5 cm base / 10 cm top diameter)

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Ingredients

Pasta Frolla Dough:

• 350 g all-purpose flour
• 50 g sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Zest of ½ orange or lemon (optional, depending on filling)
• 170 g cold unsalted butter (82% fat), cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 55 g heavy cream

Cranberry Sauce:

• 400 g fresh cranberries
• 50 ml water
• 120 g sugar
• Juice and zest of ½ organic orange
• 10 g cornstarch
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 2 tbsp dark rum

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Instructions

1. Rinse and drain cranberries. Combine cranberries, water, orange juice and zest, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until cranberries swell.
2. Dissolve cornstarch in a few tablespoons of water and stir into the sauce. Add cloves and rum, cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and cool. Store in a jar refrigerated for up to 1 week.
3. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, salt, zest, and baking powder to mix. Add butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Beat eggs with cream and add to the processor. Pulse just until dough forms a ball.
5. Divide dough in two, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour.
6. Roll dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to about 3 mm thickness. Cut rounds with a tart pan (8.5 cm base, 10 cm top).
7. Gently press dough rounds into tart pans. Chill in fridge for 10 minutes before decorating.
8. Spoon about 3 teaspoons cranberry sauce into each tart shell, leaving some space at the edges to allow for expansion during baking.
9. Roll leftover dough between plastic and cut strips to decorate tart edges as desired.
10. Bake in preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes until edges are golden.
11. Cool slightly, remove from pans, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm or at room temperature with a glass of milk.

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💡 Tips

• Keep butter cold to ensure a flaky crust.
• Rolling dough between plastic prevents sticking and makes handling easier.
• Add orange zest to dough and filling for bright, fresh flavor.

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🎉 Perfect For

• Autumn and holiday desserts
• Elegant tea-time treats
• Showcasing seasonal cranberries