Pistachio & Strawberry Tartlets – Elegant French-Style Recipe with Confit and Pistachio Bavarois
These Pistachio & Strawberry Tartlets are a tribute to refined French pastry, combining sweet, nutty, and fruity notes in a stunning mini dessert. A buttery vanilla shortcrust tart holds layers of soft vanilla biscuit, a vibrant strawberry confit, and a delicate pistachio bavaroise, finished with a glossy neutral glaze and crushed pistachios.Perfect for summer gatherings, dinner parties, or an indulgent afternoon tea, these tartlets not only taste incredible but also look like something out of a pâtisserie window. Whether you're a seasoned pastry chef or a dessert enthusiast, this recipe is your invitation to create magic in the kitchen.With every bite, expect freshness, creaminess, and crunch – all in perfect harmony.
Ingredients
✳️ Vanilla Shortcrust Pastry
- 150 g cake flour low-gluten flour
- 20 g almond flour
- 90 g soft butter
- 60 g powdered sugar
- 35 g whole egg at room temperature
- 1.5 g salt
- A pinch of powdered vanilla
- For egg wash dorure:
- 20 g egg yolk
- 5 g fresh cream
✳️ Vanilla Biscuit
- 55 g full-fat plain yogurt
- 22 g granulated sugar
- 15 g dextrose or substitute with granulated sugar
- 22 g inverted sugar or acacia honey
- 55 g egg yolks
- 65 g cake flour
- 1.7 g baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 30 g melted butter lukewarm
- 20 g fresh cream
- Powdered vanilla
✳️ Strawberry Confit
- 245 g strawberry purée
- 30 g granulated sugar I
- 4 g pectin NH
- 25 g granulated sugar II
✳️ Pistachio Bavaroise
- 140 g crème anglaise see below
- 35 g pistachio paste
- 90 g whipping cream
- 2.9 g gelatin 200 bloom
- 15 g cold water for gelatin hydration
✳️ Crème Anglaise
- 130 g whole milk
- 65 g egg yolks
- 60 g granulated sugar
✳️ Neutral Glaze
- 160 g water
- 160 g granulated sugar
- 8 g gelatin 200 bloom
- 40 g cold water for gelatin hydration
✳️ Extras
- Chopped pistachios
- Pistachio nibs or granules
- Mycryo cocoa butter optional
Instructions
Shortcrust Pastry
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar, almond flour, and vanilla until sandy.
- Add the lightly beaten egg and mix to combine.
- Finally, incorporate the sifted flour and salt.
- Mix only until the dough comes together.
- Shape into a flat disk, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 8 hours.
- Next day, roll the dough to 2.5 mm thickness. Line six greased tart rings (7.5 cm diameter x 2 cm height).
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze until needed.
- Egg Wash (Dorure)
- Mix the egg yolk with cream and set aside.
- Baking the Tart Shells
- Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-assisted).
- Bake the tart shells for 14 minutes. Remove the rings and lightly cool.
- Brush outer edges with egg wash and bake for another 4 minutes.
- Dust with Mycryo cocoa butter or brush the inside with egg wash if Mycryo is unavailable.
- Let cool completely.
Vanilla Biscuit
- Preheat oven to 150°C (fan-assisted).
- In a bowl, mix yogurt with both sugars, vanilla, and egg yolks.
- Add sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a whisk.
- Incorporate lukewarm melted butter and cream.
- Pipe into a 20 cm square frame and bake for 20 minutes.
- Cool, then cut six 6 cm discs with a cutter.
Strawberry Confit
- Mix the second quantity of sugar with the pectin.
- Heat strawberry purée with the first sugar to 50°C.
- Add sugar/pectin mixture and stir.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Cool slightly, cover with cling film in contact, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight).
Pistachio Bavaroise
- Hydrate gelatin with water.
- Make a crème anglaise: heat milk, yolks, and sugar to 82°C, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat, strain, weigh 140 g, and melt in the hydrated gelatin.
- Add to pistachio paste and emulsify with an immersion blender.
- Cool to 25–30°C, then fold in semi-whipped cream.
- Pour into silicone molds or tart rings (7 cm x 2 cm).
- Refrigerate, then freeze for 24 hours.
Neutral Glaze
- Hydrate gelatin in water.
- Boil water and sugar to 103°C.
- Cool to 70°C, add melted gelatin and stir gently.
- Let cool to 32°C before use.
🧩 Assembly
- Soften the strawberry confit and pipe 20 g into each tart shell. Smooth the surface.
- Place a biscuit disc on top and press gently.
- Pipe 18 g of confit over the biscuit and smooth.
- Refrigerate tartlets for 30 minutes.
- Unmold frozen bavaroise domes, place on a rack, and glaze with neutral glaze at 32°C.
- Place the domes on tartlets. Garnish tops with chopped pistachios and sides with pistachio nibs.
Notes
❄️ Serving
Refrigerate assembled tartlets for 2 hours to allow the bavaroise to thaw. Serve chilled.🔖 Notes
- Use fresh, sieved strawberry purée for best results.
- If using Klassik Michalak tart rings (7 cm), cut biscuit with 5.5 cm cutter.
- Bavaroise quantity is exact — no leftovers.
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.